Oldie Goldie & the Young Ones

lil' art with the girls - vähän taidetta tyttöjen kanssa

2011-11-19T15:22:00.002+02:00

Deena and her friend helped me to make some 'flower art' for winter ti decorate the house and garden. Some people buy some expensive callunas or such, but I decided to use what we can find around.. So we took some dry flowers from bushes and some fir. The girls both made one pot on their own, and I made the higher ones that are hanging next to the behind door and also one pot to be next to the front door. They all came out pretty nice. Now all we need is a little snow to come on them. Just a little.

Tehtiin Deenan ja kaverinsa kanssa vähän kukkataidetta. Jotkut ostaa kalliita kanervia, mut mepäs tehtiinkin ihan niistä materiaaleista mitä löydettiin luonnosta. Haettiin kuivuneita kukintoja pensaista ja vähän kuusenhavuja, ei siihen muuta tarvittu. Deena ja Deenan kaveri tekivät molemmat ruukkunsa, ja mä tein etupihalle ruukun sekä amppelit. Hienoja tuli, vaikka itse sen sanonkin. vähän kun noihin vielä sataa lunta päälle..

TIRES - RENKAAT!

2011-11-19T15:08:00.003+02:00

Winter is coming so we need to get ready. I was supposed to change the car tires soon, but.. Had a flat tire in the morning when I wanted to take the girls to school.. I didn't notice before i already left the parking, so I drew them half way and let them walk the rest (it's only 1 km anyway). Alhamdulilah they started the same time today..

Alhamdulilah I didn't have winter tires yet! I would be so angry if I had just changed them and then this.. Now I have them, thanks to mom's dh, who came to change them for me. They promised snow any day anyway, so it's good alhamdulilah. I had just decided to wait until dh gets back, but this is better, because I wouldn't drive in the snow with the summer wheels. Maybe Allah wanted me to change the tires to be safe.

And I found a screw in that broken tire. Who sows screws around? The tires were pretty old anyway, I think we would have had to buy new ones next summer even if it didn't break.

Olin ajatellut vaihtaa autoon talvirenkat vasta kun mies kotiutuu ens viikon lopulla, mut joku muutti mun suunnitelmia. Oli sit aamulla autosta toinen etukumi tyhjänä, kun piti lähtee viemään tyttöjä kouluun. en edes huomannut ennen kuin olin jo ajamassa parkkikselta ulos, joten ajoin sit tytöt puolimatkaa kouluun. Onneks aloittivat samaan aikaan tänään, joten menivät loppumatkan yhdessä, eikä matkaakaan ole kuin yhteensä kilometri..

Onneks oli viel kesäkumit, ja aika kuluneetkin. Ois hiukan kiukuttanut, jos ois ollu just vaihdetut talvirenkaat alla. Noi kesärenkaat on aika vanhatkin, voi olla et ois muutenkin menny ens kesänä jo koko sarja vaihtoon. Luntakin on luvattu nyt ihan minä päivänä tahansa, joten kaipa tää vaihto tuli ihan hyvään aikaan. Joku tarkoitus tällä renkaan rikkoutumisella siis varmaan on.

Nyt on sit talvirenkaat alla, Kiitos voitolle! Ja ruuvihan siinä litistyneessä kumissa oli pystyssä. Kuka ihme kylvää ruuveja ympäriinsä.

Been at theater - Teatterissa

2011-11-12T02:39:00.003+02:00

Turun Kaupunginteatteri
Turku City theater

Tonight we went to the theater to see deena's favorite character. Someone had messed up our reservation, they had put it for tomorrow. I clearly told them friday, 11th, but it was put on wrong day. And the show today wasn't at 5 pm like they told me, it was on 6.30pm. The show on Saturday would have been on 5..Well.. Alhamdulilah it wasn't full booked and we got places for today's show.

We went to a cafeteria across the river to waste some time, and had a lovely walk on the riverside. It was pretty nice, the riverside by night is lovely.

The show itself was very funny and the girls loved it. The hall was pretty small, and the kids got to be really near the actors, almost like they were in it. I'd say it was a very lovely experience for us all!

Hakkarais-shown juliste
The poster of the show we saw

Tänään oltiin tyttöjen kanssa teatterissa. Joku oli sotkenut meidön varauksen, se oli laitettu vasta huomiselle päivälle. Mä sanoin kyllä selvästi varausta tehdessäni, et haluan nimenomaan perjantaina, 11 päivä, mut.. Kaiken lisäks tän päivän show oli vasta klo 18. 30, joten oltiin liian aikaisin teatterilla. Meille oli sanottu lauantaisen shown aika, eli klo 17. No, onneks päästiin silti tänään, kun ei ollut ihan täyteen buukattu sali.

Mentiin sitten kuluttamaan aikaa tois pual jokke Arnold'sille donitsille ja käveltiin vähän aikaa jokirannassa. Oli kllä oikein mukavaa ja tunnelmallista iltavalaistuksessa.

Näytelmä oli tosi hauska, tytöt tykkäs. Deena varsinkin oli ihan onnessaan, kun näki livenä suosikkinsa Herra Hakkaraisen. Deenalla oli hakkarais-pehmolelukin mukana ♥. Sali oli pieni, lapset pääsivät tosi lähelle esiintyjiä, ihan kuin olisivat itse olleet mukana. Vois kyllä sanoa, et oli meille jokaiselle ihan älyttömän mukava kokemus.

Aurajoki
River Aura

my baby turned 7 - mun pikkuinen täytti 7

2011-10-08T23:53:00.000+03:00

My baby Deena turned 7 years today mashaAllah. I can't believe, how time flies! I still remember the day she was born like it was yesterday! I think I told this before, but I gotta tell again anyway! The same evening when she was born, she looked straight at me and gave me a big smile! It really was a smile, believe me! Even her eyes were smiling! I have never seen a newborn smile before, but she did! It took a few weeks before she did it again though, but since that day she has been my sunshine!

She wanted a yellow cake, so I decided to make an abc book
Deena halus keltaisen kakun, ja päätin tehdä aapisen

She had a little birthday party, she invited her friends, all together 12 kids were here. She got lovely gifts and we all had a really nice time mashaAllah! The kids ate really well and they danced and played for two hours. After her friends left, she came to me and said: This was the best day in the world, thank you mama! ♥

The party table before the guests came
Juhlapöytä ennen vieraiden tuloa

Mun pieni Deena täytti tänään 7 vuotta. Uskomatonta, miten nopeasti aika kuluu! Muistan vieläkin päivän, jolloin Deena syntyi, han, kuin se olisi ollut eilen! Olen varmaan kertonut tämän jutun ennenkin, mutta mun täytyy kertoa tää uudelleen! Samana iltana kun Deena syntyi, olimme kahdestaan huoneessa. Deena katsoi suoraan mua silmiin ja hymyili! Se tosiaan oli hymy, eikä mikään vatsan vääntelyilme. Deenan silmätkin hymyilivät! En ole ikinä ennen nähnyt vastasyntyneen hymyilevän. Meni kuitenkin muutama viikko ennen kuin hän hymyili seuraavan kerran, mutta siitä päivästä lähtien Deena on ollut mun Aurinkoni!

We were planning the decoration together
Suunniteltiin kakunkoristeet yhdessä

Tänään Deenalla oli pienet juhlat. Hän kutsui kaverinsa meille kotiin ja yhteensä täällä oli 12 lasta! Hän sai kivoja lahjoja ja kaikilla oli tosi hauskaa! Lapset söivät hyvin, tanssivat ja leikkivät kaksi tuntia. Kun ystävät olivat lähteneet, Deena tuli mun luo ja sanoi: Tää oli maailman paras päivä, kiitos mama! ♥

The cake was deliciousand came out better than I believed: strawberry jam, mashed raspberries and a loooot of vanilla cream
Kakku oli maukas, onnistui yli odotusten: mansikkahilloa, pakastevadelmamössöä ja paljon vaniljan makuista kermaa

Just routine . rutiinihommia vaan..

2011-09-27T01:06:00.001+03:00

Nothing happens lately, and because autumn is here, we're not much doing special things.. The girls go to school. then we just hang around here, go out , clean the house, cook.. Kinda boring, but I love my routine days :D .

I took Nader to test the new indoor football field (which is outdoors lol), he was so exited! It's good that there's football fields next to the school, so we can always go there a bit when we go to get the girls home.

Donjana called me today after the first lesson from school. she had a little fever and i had to go and get her home. I think she will stay home tomorrow too. InshaAllah she'll feel better soon.

I've been making cakes again. Dh's friend ordered this one, his two little boys wanted to have a soccer cake, with american football in the corner :D . So I made it. Next one will be Deena's b-day cake. i'm still making plans, not sure what it will be.

So, that much interesting has my life been lately :D

Nykyään me ei juurikaan tehdä mitään erikoista, kun syksy on saapunut. tällä ilmalla ei paljon huvita tehdä suunnitelmia, kun koska vaan voi alkaa sataa kaatamalla. Täällä siis vaan nökötetöön. Ulkoillaan, siivotaan, kokataan, ja muuta rutiinihommaa. Mut nou hätä, mä tykkään mun rutiinipäivistä!

Yhtenä päivänä vein Naderin testaamaan uutta kaukalojalkapallokenttää, joka on rakennettu koulun viereiseen kisapuistoon. Nader oli ihan innoissaan. Kiva, kun noi kentätä on koulun vieressä, voidaan aina mennä pelailee, kun ollaan hakemassa tyttöjä koulusta.

Tänään Donjana soitti koulusta mulle eka tunnin jälkeen. Oli kuulemma hiukan kuumeinen olo, ja kyllä se kuume sitten vielä iltaa kohden nousikin siitä. Taitaa jäädä huominenkin koulupäivä väliin. Toivottavasti menee nopeesti ohi.

OOn väsännyt kakkuakin taas, miehen kaveri tilas jalkkiskakun kahdelle pojalleen. amerikan jalkkis piti toiseen kulmaan kuulemma saada myös. Ja mähän tein työtä käskettyä.. Seuraavaks onkin ens kuussa vuorossa Deenan synttärikakku. suunnittelu on jo käynnissä..

Näin kiinnostavaa on siis ollut mun elämäni viime aikoina..

Have a nice autumn yall! - Hyvää syksyä kaikille!

PIZZA!

2011-09-25T01:29:00.001+03:00

I LOVE PIZZA!!!!

So I was very happy, when my mom invited us all to eat in my son-in-law's pizzeria when her dh turned 70. So we had pizza and kebab, and a cake I made for dessert. I have to say, that now I'm really well eaten, and so are the kids! MashaAllah wa alhamdulilah, we had a really nice day together!

MÄ RAKASTAN PIZZAA!

Ja siksi olin tooosi iloinen, kun äiti kutsui meidän koko perheen mun vävypojan pizzeriaan syömään, kun hänen miehensä täytti 70-v. Syötiin pizzaa ja kebabia, ja jälkkäriks oli mun tekemä täytekakku. Nyt on hyvin syönyt olo, niin mulla kuin lapsillakin., Meillä oli tosi mukava päivä yhdessä!

Autumn - Syksy

2011-09-18T01:50:00.001+03:00

The weather is changing.. now we can't expect hot days anymore. not really.. last week the kids were still out with t-shirts, and now we need jackets. Pictures speak more than words:

Now nature is turning colourful
Nyt luonto muuttuu värikkäämmäksi

Sää on muuttumassa, ei voi mitään. Nyt on turhaa odottaa enää hellepäiviä. Viime viikolla lapset oli viel t-paidoissa ja nyt tarvitaan takkeja. Kuvat kertoo enemmän, kuin sanat..

Colours. Something good in autumn
Värit. Edes jotakin hyvää syksyssä

Last week the kids were painting with water. They had so much fun! It was really warm and sunny.

Little painters
Pikku maalarit

Viime viikolla lapset maalas vedellä liukumäkeä. Kaikilla oli tosi hauskaa. Oli tosi ihana päivä, sininen taivas ja lämmintä!

Rose berries are ready
Ruusunmarjat on valmiita

Today the boys were bored. I drew a big apple and told them to be apple worms. Lol they dig many huge holes :D

Little Apple worms
Pikku omenamadot

Tänään pojilla oli tylsää. Piirsin niille ison omenan hiekkaan ja käskin leikkiä omenamatoja. Pojat kaivoivat monta valtavan kokoista kuoppaa :D

I'm already depressed thinking that it will take nine months before the summer is back here again. I'm sooo not a winter person. How in the earth the time flies so fast when it's summer..

Mable 'helicopter'
Vaahtera'helikopteri'

Nyt jo masentaa ajatella, et seuraavaan kesään on yhdeksän kuukautta. Mä en oo sit pätkääkään talvi-ihminen. Miten aika voikin mennä niin nopsaan kesäisin?

Lilac seed capsules
Sireenin siemenkotia

Anyway, Alhamdulilah for everything. Complaining doesn't help, autumn and winter are coming, so let's take everything out of it.

Have a nice autumn yall!

No, ei tässä kitinät auta. syksy ja talvi tulee, joten otetaan niistä kaikki irti, kun ei kerran muutakaan voi. pysyy ainakin mieli virkeänä, kun pitää ittensä aktiivisena.

Hyvää syksyä kaikille!

Shopping. - Ostoksilla.. AARRGGHH..

2011-09-07T17:48:00.002+03:00

Autumn is coming, and the kids need some pants and jackets that fit the weather.. Almost all the stuff they have from previous years is either broken or too small. Luckily Nader already got a new overall kind of autumn suit a couple of weeks ago, so no need to go and look for something for him. But the girls.. they need the suits not just for playing, but for the sport lessons at school, because they're still doing it outdoors for a couple of months.

Nader's suit - Naderin puku

So I went to a big shopping center, where is many shops.. I needed to buy stuff for a cake too, so I went first to Prisma, a supermarket that has everything from food to tools to clothes to electronics etc.. There was some suits, but I really didn't find much for Donjana. For Deena there was more options, her size is still with little children, while donjana's is with youth.

After Prisma I went all around the mall, to every clothes - and sports shops, but everywhere either the size or the price were wrong.. There really was not much choices at all.. It's weird, they already sell winter wear everywhere. These thinner suits for autumn were few.. They sell a lot of this stuff in the spring, but not in the autumn. In the autumn even the season to wear it is longer..

After I went through alllll the mall, I went back to where I started and I bought the first things I looked at..

Do I ever learn that I should buy the first possible thing I can find, because 99% of times that's what I will buy after running all around.

Deena's suit. I wanted the jackes with the opposite colours, but couldn't find her size..
Deenan puku. oisin halunnut takkiin päinvastaiset värit, muttei ollut kokoa.

Syksy tulee ja lapset tarvii taas uusia takkeja ja housuja. Kaikki männävuotiset on aika loppuunkäytettyjä, tai vähintäänkin liian pieniä. Onneks Nader sai pari viikkoo sitten syyshaalarin, joten ainakin on yks puku vähemmän etsittävänä. Mut tytöt.. Ne ei tarvii pukua pelkästään pihaleikkeihin, vaan sen pitää käydä myös koulussa liikuntatunnilla, jotka pidetään kai vielä pari kuukautta ulkona.

Niin mä sit menin ostoskeskus Myllyyn, kun siel on melkein kaikkien ketjujen vaateliikkeet. ajattelin, et sielt varmaan löytyy. Aloitin Prismasta. joitakin vaihtoehtoja oli, mut hiukan yläkanttiin oli hinnat.Deenalle oli paljon enemmän vaihtoentoja kuin Donjanalle, kun Deena on viellä leikki-ikäis-osastoa.

Prisman jälkeen lähdin käymään läpi jokaisen kaupan, joka myy ulkoilupukuja, siis sekä vaate - että urheilukaupat.Ei kauhean paljoa löytynyt vaihtoehtoja, ja täytyy sanoa, että hinnat olivat taivaassa, Jos joku kohtuuhintainen löytyikin, ei ollut kokoja.

Niimpä sit menin takaisin Prismaan, ja ostin molemmille tytöille ne puvut, joita olin ensimmäisenä katsonut.

Milloinkahan opin, että pitäis aina ostaa vaan suoraan se, jota on ensimmäisenä katellut, koska 99% ostosreissuista menee juuri niin.

Donjana's suit. She would prefer black on pink, but I love this colour.
Donjanan puku. Tyttö ite ois halunnut pinkin pohjavärin, mut ite tykkään tästä tosi paljon.

Have a nice autumn yall! - Hyvää syksyä kaikille!

adventure of nader and I - naderin ja mun seikkailu

2011-09-05T22:44:00.003+03:00

haha, nader and i just had a nice adventure. in the evening when the kids came hme, he came without his other sandal (or crocs, what ever you call them). i didn't know that time, because dh took the kids in. the later i heard about it and went to check out if i can see it. nader couldn't remember what he did before he lost it. i went to look for it, but didn't really go through every bush, because i had no idea if i was looking from the right area.

then, half an hour ago, he said that he was kicking his ball near the swing and the shoe flew out from his foot. well.. i was thinking to leave it for tomorrow, it was dark already outside. there's some lights near the playground, but they're not strong at all, and the shoe obviously had to be in the bushes, because otherwise i'd seen it when i was looking for it the first time.

so, nader and i went out with the flash lights and started to look from the bush that is closest to the swing. it took me only a minute to find the shoe, and they're black, so it wasn't easy to see. hahhaha i wonder what the neighbors think of me and him putting our heads in the bushes in the night and with flashlights and all.. :))

mulla ja naderillä oli just hauska seikkailu. tänään illalla kun nader tuli sisään, sillä oli vain yksi crocs jalassa. en huomannut, koska mies otti tänään lapset sisälle. myöhemmin kun kuulin, et toinen kenkä puuttuu, lähdin ulos etsimään kenkää.. en löytänyt, mut en kyllä kauheen perusteellisesti käynytkään mitään puskia läpi. naderilla ei itellään ollut hajuakaan, missä kenkä vois olla.

myöhemmin nader alkoi sanoa, et oli keinun vieressä potkaissut palloa ja kenkä oli lentänyt jalasta. ajattelin jättää etsimisen huomiseks, kun ulkona alkoi jo olla pimeää. hiekalta kenkää olis ollut turhaa etsiä, ihan varmana olisin sen siitä huomannut jo eka etsimisellä. ja mustaa crocsia ei ihan helposti löydä mistään pusikosta..

no, päätettiin sit naderin kans kuitenkin lähteä katsomaan. otettiin mukaan taskulamput. varmaan oltiin aikamoinen näky, kun molemmilla oli päät pensaassa ja taskulamput päällä. naapureille taas pohdittavaa :D ja kadonnut kenkä löytyi vajaan minuutin etsimisen jälkeen ensimmäisenä keinun vieressä olevasta puskasta.

Our own eid traditions - Meidän eid-perinteet

2011-09-05T11:07:00.001+03:00

Eid doesn't really feel like it should here in this country. Muslims are only few among the rest of the people here, and it doesn't show on the streets.. That's why we're trying to create our own eid traditions, so that the kids have something to look forward to, something to remember when they grow up.

The kids don't go to school on the first eid day. They get some small gifts. something, that they have wished. In the morning we go to the eid prayer. Lately it has been made in a really cool place, a sports center that has a huge indoor playground. After the prayer the kids get to play in that playground for a couple of hours. It was the third time they made eid prayer in this place, and the kids were already expecting it for weeks. InshaAllah they'll make eid prayer in the same place every time from now and on.

We have two large floorball fields for the eid-prayer
Eid-rukousta varten meillä on kaksi isoa salibandy-hallia

Usually after that we go and visit my mom. She is not a Muslim, but I think it's nice to include her in our traditions. This time my granddaughter was with us too, because her mom, my daughter, had to go to work. It was a really nice visit.

My adult daughter made an eid party for some of our friends and their kids. We were six women and 8eight kids. We had such a good time, delicious dinner, and cool gifts! InshaAllah one of us can make such party every year, that would be really nice.

One of the eid days we have made bbq here at our home, and invited some friends and family. This year we did it on the third eid day. We ate really well, that's all I can say.

It's not always so nice and easy to live in 'the west' as a Muslim, but we can try to do something about, for ourselves and our families.

The indoor playground is so much fun
Sisäleikkipaikalla on todella hauskaa

Eid ei tunnu Suomessa oikein miltään kun täällä vain niin pieni osa ihmisistä juhlii sitä, eikä se näy mitenkään katukuvassa tai muutenkaan. Siksi olemme alkaneet luoda omia eid-perinteitä, että lapsilla olisi jotakin, mitä odottaa ja isompana muistella.

Ensimmäisenä eid-päivänä lapset ovat pois koulusta. He saavat pienet lahjat, jotain jota he ovat toivoneet. Aamulla menemme ensin eid-rukoukselle. Parina viime kertana se on pidetty todella kivassa paikassa, urheilukeskuksessa, jossa on valtavan kokoinen sisäleikkipaikka. Rukouksen jälkeen lapset pääsevät pariksi tunniksi leikkimään. Tämä oli kolmas kerta, kun eid-rukous oli tässä paikassa, ja lapset odottivat leikkipaikkaan pääsyä jo viikkoja etukäteen. Toivottavasti tästä lähtien rukous pidetään aina samassa paikassa inshaAllah.

Rukouksen jälkeen olemme usein vierailleet äitini luona. Hän ei ole muslimi, mutta on mukavaa että hän on silti mukana juhlimassa kanssamme. Tänä vuonna myös tyttärentyttäreni oli kanssamme, koska hänen äitinsä, tyttäreni siis, joutui menemään iltapäiväksi töihin. Meillä oli oikein mukava vierailu 'mamman' luona.

Toisena eid-päivänä aikuinen tyttäreni järjesti eid-juhlan naisille ja lapsille. meitö oli yhteensä kuusi naista ja kahdeksan lasta. Meillä oli hauskat juhlat, maukasta ruokaa ja mahtavia lahjoja. Toivottavasti joku meistä voi järjestää samanlaisen juhlan joka vuosi.

My two adult daughters made this delicious cake for the party
Kaksi aikuista tytärtäni tekivät juhliin myös tämän herkullisen kakun

Yleensä olemme kutsuneet ystäviä ja sukulaisia grillaamaan luoksemme yhtenä eid-päivistä. Näin teimme tälläkin kerralla, kolmantena eid-päivänä. Söimme todella hyvin..

Aina ei ole helppoa tai mukavaa elää muslimina 'lännessä', mutta voimme silti edes yrittää tehdä asialle jotakin, ihan oman itsemme ja perheemme vuoksi.

Tall Ship's Race

2011-08-29T20:58:00.002+03:00

We had such fun on saturday, We went to see Tall Ships Race 2011. The whole river was loaded with sailships. It was beautiful! If you ask the kids, what's the best part of the day, maybe was sitting on the grass eating ice cream and watching capoera show would be their choice though :D.

My beautiful crew on board.
Mun kaunis miehistö Mir-laivan kannella

The weather was perfect too! Maybe it was the last day of summer, because we're in September soon, and usually the weather gets dramatically colder in the autumn.

Oli tosi hauska päivä lauantaina. Oltiin katsomassa joella Tall Ship's Racea. Oli hienon näköistä, kun koko joki oli täynnä purjelaivoja.

Jos lapsilta kysytään, oli paras hetki kuitenkin varmaan se, kun istuttiin nurmikolla syömässä jäätelöä ja katsottiin capoera showta.. Ilmakin oli tosi kaunis ja lämmin. Mahtoikohan olla viimeinen kesäpäivä, kun syyskuussa usein viilenee nopeasti.

haaaaaaaaaaa.. he scores! se tekee maaaaalin!

2011-08-26T09:59:00.000+03:00

I've got a boy, who's soooooooooooo into soccer. And Messi. So now that the girls go to school, I sometimes take him to the football field. He is only five, and next year he'll be able to join a football team inshaAllah. Yesterday we spent three hours on the football field and he had so much fun! He is such a cute little guy mashaAllah, my best friend, and keeps me company while the others are not home. ♥ May Allah bless him! Ameen

Heh, mulla on täällä poika, joka on toooooooooooosi innostunut jalkapallosta. ja Messistä :D. Nyt kun tytöt on taas päivisin koulussa, me mennään silloin tällöin jalkapallokentälle. Poika on vasta viisivuotias, ja ensi vuonna inshaAllah pääsee mukaan nappulaliigaan. Eilen oltiin kolme tuntia futiskentällä ja pojalla oli niiiiin hauskaa. Ja oikeestaan äidillä myös. Niin ihana, söötti pieni poika ja mun paras ystävä ja pitää mulle seuraa, kun muut on pois kotoa. ♥ Jumala siunatkoon häntä Ameen.

There they went. Sinne ne sit meni..

2011-08-17T03:28:00.001+03:00

So, this morning I took the girls to school. They were nervous, but as soon as we got there, Donjana disappeared with her friends and went to her class.. That much about nervousness.. Deena and I stayed waiting for the teachers to come and get the first graders.

The teachers came and started to call kids by names, one by one. Deena was on the third group, so she had to wait a little, all nervous. Finally her turn came and she went to the queue with her new class room mates. alhamdulilah there was some that she knew already from the pre-school.

The kids left inside with the teachers, and I left home. In tears lol :D.

At noon I went back to get the girls home. It was pouring sooooo much! Alhamdulilah i had the car so I didn't get too wet.. Donjana came with some our neighbor girls. I told them all to come with our car and stay under the rain shelter while we were waiting for Deena. I was also looking for more neighbor kids to come with us, but found only one boy. The rain was so hard I would have tried to put all the kids in our car if possible. Then Deena came and we drove home with 5 kids and I in the car. Later I heard that one of the kids I didn't see got soooo wet, his new books and phone and all..

My both girls were happy and enjoyed the first day. Deena had gotten her ABC book, Donjana didn't have any books yet. Deena was carrying the book around with her the rest of the day and she already read a few pages from the beginning. she was mad because they didn't get homework :D . Donjana had been nervous about getting a new teacher, but he ended up tp be very nice mashaAllah. Deena was so super excited that she couldn't really give me any description of her day, her stories came out allll messed up :D . Alhamdulilah everything went well with both of my girls on their first day!

Tänä aamuna vein tytöt kouluun. Molemmat olivat hermostuneita, mutta heti kun päästiin perille, Donjana lähti kavereinen ja meni luokkaansa. Jäätiin Deenan kanssa pihalle odottamaan opettajia, jotka pitäisivät nimenhuudon ja jakaisivat oppilaat kolmeen eri ryhmään.

Deena kutsuttiin vasta viimeiseen ryhmään, joten tyttö oli aika hermona kun joutui odottamaan. Sanaakaan ei siitä kyllä sanonut, kuunteli vaan nimiä korva tarkkana. Vihdoinkin Deenan vuoro tuli ja hän liittyi jonoon luokkatovereidensa kanssa. Onneksi tuli ryhmään myös tuttuja lapsia esikoulusta.

Oppilaat lähtivät sisälle ja mä tippa linssissä kotiin.

Puolen päivän aikaan lähdin hakemaan tyttöjä kotiin. Satoi kuin saavista kaataen. siis todella kovaa.. jo parin metrin matkalla autoon kastui aika hyvin. Mut onneks ees oli auto, ettei koko kilsaa tarvinnut kävellä..

Donjana tuli aika pian kavereidensa, muutamien naapurintyttöjen kanssa. Sanoin, että otan tytöt kyytiin ja pyysin heitä odottamaan katoksen alla etteivät kastu. Odottelimme Deenaa ja samalla katselin, josko löytyis lisää naapurien lapsia, mutta löytyi vain yksi poika. Olisin yrittänyt saada kaikki mahtumaan autoon, koska sade oli niin kova. Vihdoin Deena tuli. Ajoin kotiin 5 lasta kyydissäni. Myöhemmin kuulin, et yks naapurin pojista oli kastunut tosi pahasti, uudet kirjatja puhelinkin kastuneet läpimäräks.

Molemmat tytöt oli tosi iloisia ja olivat nauttineet ekasta koulupäivästä. Deena oli jo saanut aapisen, Donjanalla ei vielä ollut yhtään kirjaa. Deena lukikin jo aapisesta monta sivua, vaikkei ollut tullut läksyä (olisi kuulemma pitänyt tulla :D ). Donjana oli ollut tosi huolissaan siitä, että tulee uusi opettaja, mutta loppujen lopuks opettaja olikin ollut hirmu mukava. Deena oli niin intona, ettei pystynyt kuvailemaan ekaa päivää oikein mitenkään, ja kulki koko loppupäivän aapinen kädessä ympäri kotia. Kiva kun kaikki meni ensimmäisenä päivänä hienosti molemmilta tytöiltä.

tomorrow is a big day! huomenna on suuri päivä!

2011-08-16T01:47:00.001+03:00

School starts tomorrow. Donjana is going on the third grade and my little Deena on the first. Time flies so fast:.. Feels like she was born yesterday.

That night when she was born I was quite weak. I had lost some blood and they told me to stay in bed. I had Deena next to me. It was a private room, so there was no other company. Not that I needed that anyway! And something amazing happened. She gave me a biiiig smile, just like that! I tell you sisters, it wasn't just her face movements from pain in stomach, like many people have said. She smiled! I know it! Even her eyes were smiling! For a moment I thought she wants to say something. She looked like she knows so much more than me! MashaAllah my beautiful little girl!

So tomorrow will be a really exciting day. InshaAllah she will love it!

Koulu alkaa huomenna. Donjana menee kolmannelle ja mun pieni Deena menee ekaluokalle! Tuntuu kuin vasta eilen Deena ois syntynyt ja nyt se on jo iso tyttö!

Sinä yönä kun Deena syntyi, olin aika heikko koska olin menettänyt paljon verta, ja mut määrättiin vuodelepoon. Olin yksityishuoneessa, seuranani ainoastaan pikkuruinen Diinukka. Ei silti, en olis muuta seuraa kyllä kaivannutkaan. Sitten tapahtui jotain aivan uskomatonta! Deena katsoi mua silmiin ja väläytti ihan oikean hymyn! Ei ollut mitään mahanpuruja tai tahdotonta suun vääntelyä, vaan hymy! Ihan silmissä asti! Pienen hetken näytti jopa siltä, et Deena aikois sanoa jotakin. Ja hän näytti siltä, kun tietäisi niin paljon enemmän, kuin minä. MashaAllah mun pikku Deena!

Huomenna on siis tosi jännä päivä. Toivottavasti Deenalla on kivaa!

Only for Allah

2011-08-15T06:06:00.001+03:00

I have posted this once before somewhere, but today i thought of this again and felt like telling yall this story one more time.

Suomennos tulee jonain päivänä :D

Nowdays many people seem to forget what is really important. They think of property, matter in general, money, their looks and such things. Serving Allah (subhanahuwata'ala) is rarely the first thing in people's minds. It scares me to see that around me every day. So I searched for this story that I heard once a long time ago.

There was a pious man among the Banu Israel who always remained busy in the worship of Allah. A group of people came to him and told him that a tribe living nearby worshiped a tree. The news upset him, and with an axe on his shoulder he went to cut down that tree.

On the way, Satan met him in the form of an old man and asked him where he was going. He said he was going to cut a particular tree. Satan said, "You have nothing to be concerned with this tree, you better mind your worship and do not give it up for the sake of something that does not concern you." "This is also worship," retorted the worshiper.

Then Satan tried to prevent him from cutting the tree, and there followed a fight between the two, in which the worshiper overpowered the Satan. Finding himself completely helpless, Satan begged to be excused, and when the worshiper released him, he again said, "Allah has not made the cutting of this tree obligatory on you. You do not lose anything if you do not cut it. If its cutting were necessary, Allah could have got it done through one of his many Prophets."

The worshiper insisted on cutting the tree. There was again a fight between the two and again the worshiper overpowered the Satan. "Well listen," said Satan, "I propose a settlement that will be to your advantage." The worshipper agreed, and Satan said, "You are a poor man, a mere burden on this earth. If you stay away from this act, I will pay you three gold coins everyday. You will daily find them lying under your pillow. By this money you can fulfill your own needs, can oblige your relative, help the needy, and do so many other virtuous things. Cutting the tree will be only one virtue, which will ultimately be of no use because the people will grow another tree."

This proposal appealed to the worshiper, and he accepted it. He found the money on two successive days, but on the third day there was nothing. He got enraged, picked up his axe and went to cut the tree. Satan as an old man again met him on the way and asked him where he was going. "To cut the tree," shouted the worshiper. "I will not let you do it," said Satan.

A fight took place between the two again but this time Satan had the upper hand and overpowered the worshiper.The latter was surprised at his own defeat, and asked the former the cause of his success. Satan replied, "At first, your anger was purely for earning the pleasure of Allah, and therefore Almighty Allah helped you to overpower me, but now it has been partly for the sake of the gold coins and therefore you lost."

Source: From the book "Ihyaa-ul Uloom Ud Deen" by Imam Ghazzali (ra)

summer is over? - kesä meni jo?

2011-08-08T21:47:00.003+03:00

Time goes so fast these days.. I feel like summer just started and now autumn is coming already. Summers are so short in Finland.. First we wait for Spring to come for half year in the cold and snow, then when Summer comes, half of it is bad weather, the other half is good, and before we know it, it's gone.

The weather has got cooler day by day since August started, and last night we had some heavy rain too. I know many people are actually happy about this, because it's Ramadan, and we have to fast soooo long days, 18½ hours, so it's maybe a bit easier at least when it's not too hot. Unfortunately I haven't been able to fast, because of medication and some health conditions. May Allah make is easy for those, who can! Ameen

Today I took the kids to the adventure park and it was too cold to play with the water. Well, they enjoyed their day anyway, there's plenty of other things to do. I wonder if there will be warmer days anymore. I don't want to give up on the summer yet!

Next week the school starts again. Donjana is going on the third grade inshaAllah and I can't believe that Deena is starting the first grade too. I'm gonna stand on the school yard next Tuesday with tears in my eyes again. This will be my fifth time, when I take my child to school on the first day, but I still get all emotional of the idea.. ♥

Aika kuluu niin nopeaan..Ihan kuin kesä ois just alkanut, ja nyt on taas jo syksy tulossa. Suomen kesät on niin lyhyitä. Ensin odotetaan puoli vuotta kylmän ja lumen keskellä kevään tuloa, sit kun kesä tulee puolet on sateista, puolet hyvää, ja ennen kuin huomataan, se on ohi.

Heti kun elokuu alkoi, sää viileni ja tuli syksyn tuntua ilmaan. Moni on siitä iloinen, koska on Ramadan ja paastopäivät on hirvittävän pitkiä. viileämpi sää tekee sen edes vähän helpommaksi. Mulle pitkät päivät on ihan mahdottomia paastota, kun on otettava lääkkeet ja muutenkaan terveys ei tykkää näin pitkistä paastopäivistä. Tehköön Allah paaston helpoksi niille, jotka paastoavat! Ameen.

Tänään vein lapset seikkailupuistoon. Oli ihan liian viileää vesileikkeihin, mut onneksi siellä on paljon muutakin tekemistä, eikä aika tule pitkäksi. Saa nähdä, tuleeko enää lämpimämpiä päiviä. En haluaisi antaa vielä periksi syksylle!

Ensi viikolla alkaa koulut. Donjana menee kolmannelle luokalle, ja tuntuu uskomattomalta, että pikku-Deena aloittaa ekaluokan. Siellä sitä sit taas seistään koulun pihalla vetistelemässä. Siis mä seison. Kummaa, vaikka oon jo viides kerta kun vien lapseni kouluun ekan, edelleenkin vaan tunteet nousee pintaan. ♥

Happy end of summer yall!

Hyvää loppukesää kaikille!

My dear, dear friend. Rakas ystävä..

2011-08-08T05:17:00.001+03:00

As yall know, I haven't really been blogging for such a long time, but now something happened and that got me to come and make a post.

My dear friend and sister in Islam lost her father and brother yesterday in Liby in the battle of Bir al-Ghanem. May Allah grant them the highest Jannah and give a lot of sabr to the whole family. Ameen.

My friend is only half of my age, but she has taught me more about Islam than anyone else in this world. I don't know how many times I turned to her when I needed answer to some question, or needed support, and I always got the answer from her and she knows exactly what to say. Her father must have been a great man mashaAllah, to raise a daughter like her.

Rakas ystäväni ja sisareni Islamissa menetti eilen isänsä ja veljensä Libyassa, Bir al-Ghanemin taistelussa. Allahin siunausta heille ja voimia koko perheelle Ameen.

Ystäväni on mua puolet nuorempi, mutta on silti opettanut mulle uskonnosta enemmän kuin kukaan muu ikinä. En edes muista, miten monta kertaa olen kääntynyt hänen puoleensa kun on ollut kysyttävää, tai olen kaivannut neuvoja. Häneltä on aina löytynyt vastaus ja hän osaa sanoa juuri ne oikeat sanat. Hänen isänsä on täytynyt olla mahtava ihminen, kun on kasvattanut sellaisen tyttären.

Fautma, you and your family are in my duas!

Perheesi on rukouksissani, Fautma!

what has happened here :O

2011-08-08T04:38:00.002+03:00

Something got me to come back here to post, and what did I see? Alllll my pictures gone, subhanaAllah.. Well.. that means a lot of posts without pictures.. I will not have time or patience to re-load every picture on this blog. that means: forget my old posts or read between the question marks.. InshaAllah I'll be back with many new posts and pictures anyway..

So welcome back to my blog yall!

Maybe now, when I kinda need to start all over again, I should do this with bilingual too, as many of my friends and family members don't understand English. So, I will also blog in Finnish from now and on..

Eli kai se on pakko alkaa kirjoitella myös suomeksi, että kaikki kaverit ja sukulaisetkin ymmärtää.

Olin aika pitkään pois täältä, ja sillä aikaa mun kaikki kuvat oli kadonneet johonkin. Mun vanhat jutut voi siis unohtaa, kun niistä puuttuu kokonaan kuvitus. Lukea toki saa tietenkin, jos joku vaan viitsii.

Tervetuloa siis tänne myös tällä kotimaisella.

HOLIDAY!

2011-06-05T02:26:00.003+03:00

Hello folks! School's out for summer and the holiday started today. It's not exactly a holiday to me though :P but at least no early morning alarm-buzz alhamdulilah!

Donjana hugging her teacher the one, last time. She will not be teaching them the next semester.

Donjana got a good report card alhamdulilah. I'm so proud of her! Next year will be more challenging for her. She will be on the third class and they start a few new subjects too, English, geography and biology. InshaAllah she will keep up the good work. She already speaks English quite well. We just had an English visitor and I was surprised, how well Donjana got along with her.

Deena finished pre-school on tuesday, and will go to the first grade in the autumn. And yesterday she learned how to read! It's so wonderful moment to see! And mashaAllah, now she loves it so much! She asks me to write her new words all the time. If this progress keeps going on like this, she can read small books in a few days inshaAllah! And I'm so proud again :D !

Deena received a rose and a diploma in her pre-school graduation party.

Nader even forgot about playing football for a while, when he saw Deena reading. I gave him Deena's old Moomins ABC workbook, so he can practice letters. He doesn't know how to spell almost anything yet, but now he wants to learn to read too.. He started practicing S. He made a few beautifully shaped s-letters exactly on the line.. I left him for a while and when I came back I saw that he wrote MESSI in the middle of the line, then went back to making s s s.. :D. It was hilarious :P .

My grandkids have been here a lot these days, because their parents are working. Last night they slept over. Today we spent the whole day out. The weather was perfect, nice and sunny. We made soap bubbles, played shop and home, read and wrote, and we had some kind of larva-farm lol, the kids were looking for them in the bushes.. :D . And I had to help them :D . Anyway, it was a good day.. Not as busy as you could think with five kids.. They were all very nicely (which is really not always the case : ) alhamdulilah. And the kids room that we cleaned up totally yesterday, is still clean and tidy alhamdulilah!

My lovely common lilac!

The garden is starting to bloom too, and I have a lot to do there.. Well, it doesn't look like I've done anything though :D , but honestly, I have.. My white fence and bushes in the front were blooming already, and so was the mini apple tree. now it's time for the lilacs, and soon there will be roses inshaAllah!

Have a nice, sunny summer everyone!

Well done, kids!

2011-03-31T22:03:00.003+03:00

Ohh.. life is so busy lately I haven't had time to come and update here as often as I was planning to. I really should be here more often. Anyway, I'm here now, with a little update about the kids.

This Tuesday Deena and Nader had their yearly nurse check and they were found healthy and everything with them is on age level alhamdulilah. Deena is tiny though, but is growing well anyway. Nader is only 3,5 cm behind her and he already weights half kilo more. Lol they look like twins :D mashaAllah.

Their hearing is good and eyesight too alhamdulilah. And I was so proud of them, they both could tell 'left' and 'right' in the eye sight test, the E board thingo, instead of showing directions with their hand.. The nurse said that it is really rare that kids are that much sure of left and right, especially Nader, who is only 5. I told her it might be because we're Muslims, we talk about eating with our right hand and stuff like that much more than a typical, Finnish family.

Deena did all kinds of tests really well, mashaAllah she is a smart girl. She had to draw some stuff, make some figures of wooden blocks, split pictures to groups that fit together, find which letter some words start etc.. She finished everything so fast lol, she loves that kind of stuff.

She has had a problem saying R, and I spoke about it with the nurse. The nurse said that a speaking therapist could talk with her once when she goes on the first grade in the autumn. We were not worried about it, we knew she'd find a way to say it soon because she had said TR before, in words like tractor, but couldn't say words with R or R alone..

Nader was a little shy first with the nurse, but he behaved really well.. Or maybe he behaved himself because he was a little shy :D . He also had some tests like drawing his picture and his family, throwing ball etc. His tests were a bit different because he is one year younger. When he was supposed to write his name he didn't remember how to make R, but then he wrote MESSI on the paper :P . And when he had to draw his picture he drew a football next to him :))) . In the family picture he drew green background. the nurse asked him why and he looked at her as if she don't understand anything. Then he said: ''It's grass, don't yo see? My family is on a football field.''

Nader on the left, Messi in the middle, and a player from Uruguay in the right.

He is really into football lately, and Lionel Messi too.. Meaning soccer, in case someone is wondering... He plays football ALLL the time, indoors and out, and he plays football games on PC and PS and watches full games from tv or football clips on Youtube. He wants to wear his football gear and Argentina number 10 shirt every day at home, and he'd wear it outside too if I'd let him :D. Well, it'll take a while before we can go out with t-shirt, we still have snow and April starts tomorrow!

Alhamdulilah everything went so well and things are fine with the kids. I was told that I have fun, well raised children alhamdulilah. Well.. They had a good day lol, it could have been different on another day :D . And I promised them some donuts at Arnold's later. That might have affected too :D

After we finished with the nurse we had a snack at the waiting room, as we got up really early and had spent two hours there. We had to wait for half an hour for Donjana to finish school. Her school is next to the nurse's, and we wouldn't even have time to go back home anyway. Donjana is on second grade and her school is going well. The teacher often tells that she is a very nice girl and she knows when she should sit still and listen. mashaAllah. Her exams usually come home with excellent grade. Only once she got good, and she was unhappy about it. I had a hard time trying to convince her that she still did well even if she didn't have the excellent mark.

After Donjana came we went to the center and had some really tasty donuts. YUMM.. :P . On the way home Donjana and Nader fell asleep in the bus. The last thing Nader said before he fell asleep was ''I have changed my family name. My name is now Nader Messi. Oh boy.

And then later that day Deena was practicing R again and she said it! It's so funny :D. She had tried a thousand times, but just that day it came! YAY! Alhamdulilah for everything!

Melting snow makes amazing figures.

2011-02-12T22:12:00.003+02:00

We had a baking day with the kids. We made pulla!
It's a traditional Finnish coffee bread with gardamon.

have a bite!

You need:

5 dl milk
50 g yeast
1 teaspoon salt
2 dl sugar
1 table spoon ground gardamon
1 egg
about 12-14 dl white flour
150 g butter or margarine

Melt the yeast to lukewarm water. Add salt, sugar, gardamon and egg. Add flour little by little, beat until the dough is smooth and elastic. Add soft butter or margarine in the end. Kneed well. Don't make the dough too hard. You can also leave some of the flour to mix it in when you bake.

can you see how it's cut?

Cover and leave to rest/rise in a warm place until doubled (20 min). Knead the dough to get the air out. And bake what ever shape buns you want. Let the buns rise in a warm place until doubled. Brush with egg and sprinkle with sugar.
The big round one I made is filled up with butter and sugar and rolled , then made as a loop. Then made cuts with scissors every one or two cm and bended the pieces left and right, left and right.. etc.. Lol maybe yall need a drawing :D

Bake at 200-225 'celsius (about 400F) for 20 to 30 minutes. Check occasionally because the bottom burns easily.

the kids made these ♥ i let them use their own imagination :P

this is how to fill up for the loop or for sister pulla

sister pulla before oven

sister pulla

braid pulla

What a winter..

2011-02-12T11:32:00.002+02:00

It's been a while since I'ne been posting. It's been kinda busy winter.. We have a lot of snow and the kids want to play out every day.. Today is so cold though, that I think we will stay in.

The kids are doing good alhamdulilah. Donjana is on the second grade and has good marks at school and Deena is enjoying pre-school and is about to learn how to read. I can't believe she is going on the first grade in the autumn this year. Nader is still at home, but I'm planning to put him to day care for half day next season.

Here's some pictures of what we've been up to the last couple of months:

We love to put some candles in the snow

We've been sledding.. The kids are a bit bored to do it lately though. This winter is tooooo long!

We made a masjid from ginger bread

We really have a lot of snow this year.

We've been ice-skating a few timess. We should go more often..

Had some fireworks

The kids have been skiing.. I havent: my gear is at mom's summer house. It's almost 30 years old anyway.. I'm not so into skiing anymore :D

We have made snow men, snow horses, castles..

Nader turned 5 and had some friends over. I made him this cake.

InshaAllah I will be back soon to post more about our lives! I need to get on the posting mood again! Winter is making me lazy, but spring is coming inshaAllah!

I'm back.. And so is the winter..

2010-11-12T17:18:00.001+02:00

looks like I had a break.. lol..I just realized that i didn't post anything for more than a month! well.. I'm back now.. I have something in mind already, that I want to tell yall, but need a few days to think what to say..

Winter is also back.. we don't have snow at the moment, but two days ago there was 5 cm. First it was snow and then it became wetttt.. Walking there made it splash everywhere and i was wet until my knees

When I took the pic it had just started snowing, and it did go on all night.. I hateeeee winter but alhamdulilah. If we didn't have 5-6 months cold season, the summer wouldn't feel so wonderful either.

For the kids sake I wish we get snow and ice. Otherwise the winter will be very boring for them. They just LOOOOOVE ice-skating, sledding, skiing..

2010-09-25T23:17:00.002+03:00

We have a lovely, little libary in this area. It's not only a place for books. They have a lovely room for little kids, where the walls are painted like a fairytale. There's toys, board games, puzzles etc.. Twice a week there's a crafts club for kids, and we wanted to see what's going on there. It was fun! We made miniatures about things we have in this part of town, our neighborhood. I had to laugh at some of the things my kids made.. It's so funny to see what they find important.

Here's the result:

I made our lovely library, of course.. games, computers, books..

..and some of the wonderful nature around here!

Nader made this spider.. when he painted it yellow he named it 'sun spider' lol.. He made even the eye glasses all by himself. I must say I was impressed..

He also made a tree with autumn colours, a huge football with a tiny football player, some board games and a die.

and he made this.. A huuuge TV lol :D

Deena made some party food, like swiss rolls, pizza etc..

And she made this.. It's chocolate, believe it or not. All these sweets represent this area to her :D

Donjana made a football field with two players and a ball. The one on the left is Lionel Messi :D

And she made my daughter Amira's engagement party. The red circle of weird objects in the right is us dancing around the bride and the groom. she had put some wire inside the couple, so they can be even moved. They swing like they're dancing lol.

Kids have such a great imagination and so much greativity. InshaAllah they will never forget it. It's a great gift mashaAllah.

Quality one-to-one -time

2010-09-19T00:00:00.001+03:00

I've tried to spend some one to one time with all my kids. Today it was raining, Nader and Donjana didn't want to go out from home. Deena is always ready to go, so we put on the rain gear and left..

I had some coffee with me and a bottle of juice for her. We also had a book of mushrooms with us (I've been teaching the kids about them lately, as I told earlier). We bought some chocolate from the shop and went to the forest.

We saw so many different mushrooms, and checked out the names from the book. We also took pics of them, so that we can study more about them at home. It was so fun mashaAllah. Then we sat on a rock eating chocolate bars and having our drinks. Little joys of life.. ♥

bye ramadan, happy eid and welcome autumn..

2010-09-13T16:14:00.000+03:00

So, Ramadan is over. We had a really nice eid mashaAllah. I didn't take the kids to school even though it was a normal friday for Finnish people. We went all together to a sports and entertainment center where the Eid prayer hall was, and after the prayer the kids played at the children world next to the prayer hall. They had such a blast! And so did I :P . but don't tell anyone i was playing too, I didn't pay for a ticket for myself :DDD

We had lunch at my mothers place. She is not a Muslim, but I think it's nice to visit also non-muslim family members. We had a very nice day mashaAllah. We have visited her already for a few years on eid, and it's becoming a tradition mashaAllah. It's hard to feel the real Eid here, so family traditions are really important I think.

The other day we had pizza at my daughter's and her dh's new pizzeria in a small town 10 mins from our home, my birth town. The place was nice and the pizza was tasty mashaAllah. after eating we went to my
childhood playground. my dad used to take me there when I was very little, before we moved to Turku.

Yesterday we went to the forest for a walk. Autumn is coming and we already have some colours, and the mushroms are showing up. the kids loved it mashaAllah. I can only admire their will to learn new things. we had a book of mushrooms with us and they wanted to learn of each and every mushroom we found mashaAllah.

Here are Some examples of tthe different mushrooms we found.. We don't collect them btw, just take pics and read about them. I'm not so much into mushroom foods :P . My dad used to teach me a lot about nature, and I want to do the same for my kids.

Have a blessed Autumn, sisters! ♥

Tiinaish tea bread & cooking with kids :P

2010-08-27T22:09:00.000+03:00

We've been baking and cooking with the kids a lot these days. Yesterday I made apple pie.. While I made the dough Donjana peeled apples. Nader and Deena got to arrange the apple pieces on the pie. I forgot to take pics, but mom has tons of apples in her garden so I'm pretty sure we will make another pie soon :P .

Today Donjana made tuna casserole. I only helped by emptying the water from the macaroni after it was boiled and taking the casserole out from the oven. It was so delicious.. Deena and Nader washed carrots and cucumbers and cut them (together with me) and made the salad. MashaAllah it's fun to cook with kids..

Tonight I made kinda english tea bread my style. Maybe I should say Tiinaish Teabread :D

it's very simple recipe:

3dl white flour
1dl oats (grain)
½ tsp salt
(½tsp sugar)
2tsp baking powder
50 g melted margarine or butter
2 dl milk

mix the dry ingredients first and then add the milk and butter and mix well. that's it..

this makes two round flat breads that fit on one oven tray. make a few holes with fork and that's it :D
bake in 225○C for 10-15 minutes.

if you want to try the recipe, but don't know dl, ○C or those, use this converter http://www.convertworld.com/en/volume/dl.html.

And now.. I'm off to eat :P

MashaAllah my little girl!

2010-08-17T09:56:00.000+03:00

MashaAllah mashaAllah my little Donjana, 8 years old, is trying to fast every day! She eats suhoor at night, a bit before 4 am, goes back to bed for 3 more hours and then fasts as long as she can! the days are extremely long here, so she can't complete the fasts, but she does about 12 hours and i think that's pretty good for her age!

First I thought it's better she fasts on weekends only, but she said she wants to make school days too, so i let her try! She even told her teacher that she doesn't want to go and have lunch at school (they have free lunch here in every school, at 11 am). I put a small snack in her bag on the longer days in case she wants to break her fast after the lunch time is over. I also wrote a note to her teacher so that she knows what's going on, but that was after Donjana already told her!

I'm so proud of her!

Making tasbeehs with the kids, some nice summer days and fasting attempt

2010-08-14T05:16:00.001+03:00

Like every Ramadan we make some Islam/Ramadan - related crafts. Tonight my kids made their own tasbeehs, and the girls also made ones to Laila and Ali. this is the result..

I'm not totally happy with the way I left the endings, I must stick those strings in the beads.. We didn't have any fancy stuff for decorating the ending, just beads, but if i'll find something later I will make some changes. And anyway, most important thing is that the kids want to use these too! Especially now on Ramadan inshaAllah..

So this is Deena's first week in pre-school. Alhamdulilah she loves it there and is very exited. Here she is making her first home work:

Now when it's weekend and no school, Donjana and I are trying to fast. I'm pretty sure she can't complete the day's fast - 18 hours btw - but inshaAllah she'll last long enough to get the feeling. I'm proud of her anyway! Just a couple of hours ago we ate suhoor together mashaAllah! Let's see how it will go. She might last longer than me. I took some pain meds just before fajr and tomorrow I don't have to walk the girls to school, so if I can get up from bed I might be able to make it inshaAllah. InshaAllah my blood sugar level will not go too low this time. It's been very hot here so the drinking part might get hard, especially for Donjana.

On Thursday I took Laila and Ali from the day care the same time with Deena, because their both parents were on the evening shift at work. Donjana finished early too, so I had the whole team with me. We decided to go to the football field next to the school. Annndddd Maradona scored loooool :D

The other day we went on a walk to the forest. a friend of my kids came with us too. The nature is so beautiful here mashaAllah!

I took a picture of Deena this morning at her pre-school. It was fun to see how she run to play when we got in. I usually don't see this because on other days the kids stay direct out. Fridays are different because there's some activities together with the other groups in the morning indoors.

A sad story that makes me MAD and disappointed at my country :/

2010-08-12T23:15:00.003+03:00

I did not find these news in English anywhere, so can't post an english link, just translating it myself from a Finnish newspaper:

A Kurdish asylum seeker sew his lips together to protest the negative decision to his asylum application. He refuses to eat and can now communicate by writing on paper only.

He has a chronic myeloid leukemia, and Iraqi government's health department has given him a statement that he can't be treated in Iraq. He also has political reasons for seeking asylum, two of his brothers have been killed already and he has been threatened too. He has showed Finnish foreign department proof for that. So it's not only his sickness.

There's medication that usually works well for this kind or leukemia, but it doesn't work for him. He needs to be treated in a hospital, an operation which would cost about 50 000€. If they'd give him a right to stay in Finland, he could be operated in a hospital for almost free (alhamdulilah we have a good health care system here).

This brother has also said that the refugee center where he is at, has tried to keep this a secret, he has found it difficult to get himself heard. After all he wrote everything down and his friend read it to an interpreter on the phone, and now it's in all the newspapers.

He is already weak from his sickness and without that operation he will die. He has no idea how long he can last without eating but he says he won't cut the stitches from his mouth before the decision about his case has been changed. It's been put to higher court and it might take a year to get a new decision, he's been told.

This case makes me so mad! We have a law that a refugee can't be sent back to his country if his life is threatened. Already without the disease it seems to be the case. Looks like Finnish authorities don't think the same.. And with his sickness he will die for sure if they don't let him stay! The law doesn't seem to mean cases where someone's life is threatened because of their health..

I wish someone rich would see the article and pay for his operation, or the president tell the foreign office to change their decision (She has done it in a couple of cases, when they wanted to send two grandmothers to their countries, when all the family they had left was here.)

Shame on Finland for doing this to people! If he will die they're responsible!

InshaAllah he will get his operation before it's too late!

Please sisters, keep him in your duas!

Here's a link to a Finnish news paper article if anyone wan't to see it. It includes his picture.

http://www.pohjolansanomat.fi/cs/Satellite/PS-Uutiset/1194649396236/artikkeli/pakolainen+ompeli+suunsa+kiinni.html

Ramadan Mubarak to all my sisters!

2010-08-11T21:58:00.002+03:00

So, Ramadan is here! I'm sooooo exited, but the same time I feel quilty. I simply can't fast this year, and maybe the next few years will be like that too. The fasting hours this year are extremely long here, over 17 hours in the beginning.. last year i tried it for two days. after about 10 hours i start to shake, get cramps and feel like fainting. I have found out that my blood sugar level is too long, and even if i eat huge suhoor, it's not enough to cover the whole looooooong day. The doctors opinion is that i shouldn't fast anyway already because I have anemia, but I'm pretty sure these western doctors would tell almost anyone to not fast when the hours are this long, so I'm not sure if I can really trust their judgment in this thing.

I wanted to give it another try today.. Well, my back problem made the end of it.. I have a flat disc and infected area around si-joint. That gives me sciatica pain and I have been using medicine for it for over a year already. I took a pill before fajr, but already around 10 am I found walking almost impossible, so looks like no fasting for me this Ramadan..

This is so frustrating. I have never found fasting difficult, I don't mind hunger or thirst, and all the food tastes sooooo good after a day of fasting. I sooooo wish I could do it! The whole Ramadan doesn't feel the same, when you have to make it all up in the winter.

Anyway, I try to remember that Ramadan is not only for giving up food and drinks in the day time. It's also for praying more, reading and reciting quran and maybe memorizing new surah or two, being friendly and nice to others (well.. we should always be anyway), charity, spending time together with the family etc etc..

I'm planning to try to fast at least a few days in the weekends inshaAllah, when we don't have to wake up for school. My girls want to try too. the time is way too long for them, but they could fast at least until the afternoon or so, to get the feeling. We will also eat iftaar together in the right time, even if we're not fasting. Yeah.. seems like nobody in this house will.. dh has medicines he needs to take regularly so he can't either.

I also want to make some crafts for Ramadan with my kids. at least we will make a tasbeeh for them. they have plenty of beads, so why not to use them for something like this instead of some princess-necklaces like they usually do. We might even make some for gifts for other kids, if they just have patience enough.. The girls are really exited about it. They want to make dhikir and counting with fingers is difficult for them, especially -deena because she doesn't know bigger numbers yet.

Ok.. This became more like ranting that Ramadan wishes to my sisters.. Sorry for that.. Time to end this, with some hadiths.

Narrated Ibn Umar: I heard Allah's Apostle saying, "When you see the crescent (of the month of Ramadan), start fasting, and when you see the crescent (of the month of Shawwal), stop fasting; and if the sky is overcast (and you can't see It) then regard the crescent (month) of Ramadan (as of 30 days)". Sahih Bukhari, Book #31, Hadith #124

Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle said, "fasting is a shield (or a screen or a shelter). So, the person observing fasting should avoid sexual relation with his wife and should not behave foolishly and impudently, and if somebody fights with him or abuses him, he should tell him twice, 'I am fasting." The Prophet added, "By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, the smell coming out from the mouth of a fasting person is better in the sight of Allah than the smell of musk. (Allah says about the fasting person), 'He has left his food, drink and desires for My sake. The fast is for Me. So I will reward (the fasting person) for it and the reward of good deeds is multiplied ten times." Sahih Bukhari, Book#31 Hadith #118

Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, "Whoever does not give up forged speech and evil actions, Allah is not in need of his leaving his food and drink (i.e. Allah will not accept his fasting".) Sahih Bukhari, Book #31, Hadith #127

Ramadan Kareem to all my sisters and their families!

2010-08-09T23:47:00.003+03:00

So, tomorrow it starts! Deena's pre school! I have some mixed emotions.. My baby girl is growing up! Donjana will start the second grade tomorrow, so her holiday is over as well. Also it feels like the summer is over even if the weather is still very warm.

I was there this evening at a parents meeting. Kinda boring lol, because I've been there sooo many times, but it's important for Deena that I go lol.. It was nice to get to know her teachers better anyway. I have met them when I got Laila from the day care, but they haven't been teaching my kids before.

Deena's group seems to be multicultural.. At least 5 muslim kids, and the teachers have experience about muslims and our needs alhamdulilah. Still Iwrote my own wishes down though, just to be sure.

It was funny to see a mother of Nenna's best school friend from 7th grade there.. She also has a daughter Deena's age..

Also Laila is in the same group alhamdulilah. They have 18 pre'schoolers and 7 kids who are 5 this year and go to pre-school next year. Laila is one of those. So it's a big group. The pre-schoolers and the younger kids have some of the activities together, but the 'lessons' are always in smaller groups, usually half of the pre-schoolers at once, so 9 kids. They have lessons two days a week, but the rest of the days are educational as well.

I came out with a bunch of papers.. Lol I don't know if I'll ever read them all.. This is my fifth kid in the pre-school mashaAllah.. I don't know how much new stuff there can be for me .

Donjana is excited about going on the second grade. It's a big deal to not be one of the youngest in the school! She says she will study well and work hard this year, because she wants to have a good diploma. She needs it to go to the university some day, to become a doctor! I don't know from where she got that idea now.. Before she wanted to be a vet, a nurse, a horse-back-rider and I don't remember what else..

So from now and on it will be just me and Nader habibi in the day time. He is excited about that, but I'm pretty sure he'll be bored of my company soon .

InshaAllah my girls will have a lovely first day and a successful school year!

The kids room is tidy!

2010-07-27T03:48:00.003+03:00

I finally got the kids room full cleaning done last week! And it still is clean btw (thanks to the wedding and stuff, we haven't been home much :D )

I know it doesn't look so tidy because they have so much stuff..

... but I tell you it has been so terrible you wouldn't recognize it as the same room! :P

I wonder how long it will stay like this..

It's been a week already!

Anyway, YAY me! I did a good job :DDD

Lovely three days! Sooooo happy!

2010-07-26T03:13:00.008+03:00

We've spent three wonderful days with Amira's new family. First we had a wonderful henna party at my mom's summer house in the country side. Then the wedding party on Saturday. This evening we met at the adventure park and enjoyed the wedding left overs and good company. MashaAllah it feels like we get along really well..

Hennaaaaaaa...

Most of you might not have heard the whole story of Amira and her dh, but I can tell you it wasn't obvious that her dh's family will accept someone who is not 'one of them'. It has been a long, sometimes rocky road for Amira and her dh, but Alhamdulilah it was worth it. I know she has a good husband who loves her, will take care of her and whose family already loves her too. I couldn't be happier! Alhamdulilah for everything!

When we were on the way home we saw a rainbow in the sun set.. it was amazing!

Many sisters have asked me what our finnish families and friends thought of Amira's wedding, so here's some of the best comments:

Amira's grandmother from dad's side (who said she was a wrong person in a wrong place in the henna party) did Debka for one hour and then said: I could have made some more, this is nothing yet

Amira's dad, who is not very fond of foreigners (to his mom, nette's grandmother): After this finnish weddings will feel like nothing . He did Dekba too, btw..

The groom's family went to get Amira from her dad's place and then drove across the town to the wedding hall.. So much noise :D

Amira's dad's wife: This is much better than Finnish wedding! People really know how to have fun! (Some of yall might guess, how Finnish people usually have fun and what it needs..)

My aunt: Turkish girls are so beautiful! Those colourful dresses and head scarves make them look much fancier that someone with a mini..

And the same aunt: This is awesome! Women just dance, and men serve tables and do all the work! This is not the way i thought Muslim men act..

The grooms ex-teacher: I feel like I was abroad! My friends have told me about Turkish and Arabic weddings they saw when they traveled, but now I've seen it myself and it's so much more than the stories I've heard!

The grooms mother who passed away a couple of years ago bought these glasses to be used in her son's wedding..

My parents have got used to our stuff already so they were not as surprised as the others, but they liked it a lot too. Mom gave extra points for table service - in Finnish weddings there's always buffet and people need to stand in queue to get their food! And the same goes with the cakes! She was very happy and said this is much better and faster way!

The wonderful wedding cake!

Everyone who I spoke with liked everything! I heard only positive comments! I guess that party changed some attitudes! mashaAllah!

2010-07-24T03:15:00.005+03:00

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

My daughter Amira an her husband are now officially married in the magistrate. (They've been married in front of Allah All Mighty already since their engagement party).

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Later in the evening we had a henna party at my mother's summer house in the country side. MashaAllah everything went well and people enjoyed the party. The bride and the groom are very happy mashaAllah.

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The wedding party is tomorrow. InshaAllah everything will go well and it will be a beautiful celebration!

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May Allah subhanahuwata'ala bless my dayghter Amira's marriage and give her and her husband a happy, long life together and many pious children! AMEEN

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

LOL modern tecnology :D

2010-07-23T04:50:00.003+03:00

I heard dh and Nenna's dh talking.. Nenna's dh has a new fancy computer and he told dh about his experience of the brilliant invention called touch screen..

He had been watching an anime movie and then, just before the exiting end of the film, a fly sat on the screen - right on the red X in the corner of the media player - AND CLOSED IT . OMG lol I was laughing so much.. He was mad at the fly and it was hilarious!

Allahs perfect creations

2010-07-22T02:23:00.008+03:00

I can't believe this: this is my second post already because ants got me thinking.. :O . They've attacked my house once again..

Dh has kept two kinds of candy (with paper wraps) on a shelf near our back door. A little over a week ago the ant attack started.. They came to the kitchen mostly, but I saw a few going to the direction of the candy.. I didn't think they'd really do anything there.. Those were hard bon bons, not some soft or sticky ones.. And the paper wraps were tight..

Well, yesterday dh's brother took one candy and there was ants inside it :O . Alhamdulilah he saw it before he put it in his mouth.. I wanted to check the rest of the candies, but had no time yesterday..So today I did.. I couldn's believe what I saw :O SubhanaAllah there was ants all over the candies, but they had been eating only of one from each kind :O . There was more than one kilo candy and all the ants chose to go and eat from the same two pieces! They kept the rest clean! And those were not the first ones on the top, but under almost everything..

You can't see it much from the black candy, but on the white one it shows how they dig a hole in it.

Think how Allah has made the ants! They clearly tell each other where is food.. They find their way between a bunch of candy to eat from the same one.. They find their way home and have their own highways.. through my living room but anyway..

It's so amazing how everything works in this world.. No human inventions come even near the perfection of Allah's creations! If you think of human body for example. How perfectly everything works, how everything is taken care of.. No engineer could ever invent anything like that!

He it is who has created for you all that is on earth, and has applied His design to the heavens and fashioned them into seven heavens; and He alone has full knowledge of everything.
Quran 2:29

it's been a summer of adventure :P

2010-07-21T02:22:00.008+03:00

This summer has really been the summer of adventure for us - at least when it comes to going to the adventure park lol :D. We'been there like twice a week.. Or more even. The weather has been good and it can be relaxing for a mother too, so why not? The kids usually don't get bored thee and they don't come and bug you every second minute.. Last time i felt some boredness though.. None of the kids felt like playing with water - the thing they mostly expected when we went there the first few times.. Here's some of the action we've had during the summer in the Adventure park of Turku:

the largest playground in town

with so mant activities

something for everyone.. slides, swings, climbing thingies, and rocking boats etcetc
rocking car and a big stone castle

a huge spider web

rope swing ride
a cool shower and pool

police horses
pony riding

bbq

indian adventure

the different outside games guided by a kids club leader..

feeding goats

and ducks, swans, geese, chicken..

circus school

mashaAllah this has been a fun summer! Alhamdulilah not only for the kiddos ;)

SHE IS GETTING MARRIED - and just yesterday she was a little baby..

2010-07-20T02:31:00.008+03:00

♥ I can't believe it.. My little Amira is getting married! Feels like she was born yesterday and now she will have her own family inshaAllah! ♥

Here she is about three months old ♥

♥ She was such a busy baby always.. When she was 4 months she started to roll over.. And over.. and over.. And traveled all across the house almost 24/7.♥

Here she is half year♥

♥ She learned to go 'four wheels' and stand up when she was half year.. Man she made me run.. Especially after she learned to walk at 8 months and one week :O ♥

About 8 months..♥

♥ She was a happy baby mashaAllah and she never made too much problems when she grew up. She has given me many reasons to be proud of.♥

Amira 4 years and Samuli 2 years ♥

♥ Her henna party is on Friday and on Saturday is the wedding.. ♥

about 5 years♥

♥ May Allah bless her marriage and give her and her husband a happy, long life together and a big family ;P Ameen ♥

Big garden gallery!

2010-07-17T01:41:00.014+03:00

The last few days have been hot and we haven't done anything special, just hanging around here playing, I've done some house stuff and gardening.. Well.. we've been on the beach and adventure park, but it doesn't really sound so special anymore because we go many times a week.. Anyway, we have a short summer and it's amazing how much changes happens in gardens during this time mashaAllah!

this is how it was after the snow melted.

the first botanical tulips

I got some violas

the yellow crown shaped tulips bloomed next..

I have no idea of the name of this one, but i've got plenty..

this the type of daffodil (Poet's) all the grandmothers have in their gaardens ♥

More tulips

this tulip looks almost like a peony..

my fence was blooming a lot!

and my cherry apple tree too

lilacs ♥

irises..

I love this simple rose!♥ Burnett's rose!

yellow day lilies

little yellow sedums
Aquilegias

yellow sedums again, just bigger version.

foxglove

ringflowers!

malvas

I don't know what's this.. It spreaded to my garden from the neighbor's side under the fence

Rose Flammentanz

Splendens Rose and Grootendorst rose

peoniess!!!

lol.. kept the pulps of hyacinth that I gogt from my aunty on x-mas and put them in the flower bed. now they're blooming!
I have plenty of different colour corn flowers that i crew from seeds that I got from Nadia

Lilies are finally blooming too!!!

There's still more to wait in my garden, so I just might have to make another post later :P

Now I have more net time? :D

2010-07-12T01:37:00.009+03:00

Football World Cup is over, so maybe now I will have more time online, when my evenings are free again :D . Congratulations for Spain. They were better this time.. I feel sorry for Holland though, My long time favorite.

What else is new? Lol.. It's still been hot in Finland, today it was +31○C (88○F), which is unusual. Alhamdulilah I got two shalwar kameez-suits from a sweet pakistani sister, they're so comfy in this weather and I don't feel too hot!

One of the shalwar kameez-suits I got from my dear friend.

This weekend my grandkids Laila and Ali were here, because their parents were working on both days and the day care is closed for weekends. Yesterday we went to the adventure park again, and today we were just chillin' here.. I put the small pool for the kids in the back yard and they played with water for more than two hours. The rest of the day they played football! I don't know how they can run in this heat! I love hot days, but I wouldn't want to do any sport! I prefer to sit under my tree having a good book and a cold drink in my hands :P .

The river Aura in the center of my town.

Ohhhh.. I forgot to tell about the medieval Marked in my last post! It's an annual festival here in my town, they make it by the river. People dress up old style, and they sell a lot of medieval time-related stuff. There's some shows too, like jousting, which my kids love! And they show how many things were done years ago, when there was no electricity or machines, for example turning wood, making soap, brewing beer, spinning wool to yarn and colouring it etc.

Jousting show.

They also have old style wooden toys, like big domino's, a huge horse with wheels, a carrousel where the kids sit in four big baskets and someone's spinning it from the middle... There was also a leather football (it was kinda triangle shape :D )which was filled with dry peas. Nader loved it lol! And the kids printed pictures there with real ink and then coloured them with water colours!

Medieval 'court'

They also show what they used to do to criminals like thiefs lol.. they put their heads and arms in this wooden thingy.. My kids got to try one.. Hehe, would be cool to have one on my back yard for naughty kids :P . My kids love that festival. It's different from other festivals here.. The only one that does not include people getting drunk..

The kids and I picked up these flowers ♥. I love summer!

Ok.. Enough for today. Tomorrow my dh is taking Nader with him on an over night trip to the archipelago, to visit his cousins in-laws. The girls and I will have some girly fun. Lol.. If the weather is like this it will mean going to the beach I think. :P InshaAllah!

Good news and hot days!

2010-07-07T01:28:00.007+03:00

The last two days have been full of happy moments! Finland has a heat wave, the temperature has been between 25○C and 30○C (77 to 86 F) already for a week. I love it! It's the perfect weather for me! I sit under my tree knitting. There's a little wind sometimes and I have a cold grape fruit drink next to me.. Ahhh.. Life is good..! So the weather is great, I met a sister I wanted to meet for years already, my little girl is back home safe, Holland is in the World Cup final and a beautiful new Muslimah was born! MashaAllah wa Alhamdulilah!

On Monday my day started really early, 6.45 am :O. I had a plan to met a sister from another town and her crew at the adventure park, so I promised to take my grandkids with me so that they wouldn't have to go to the day care. Their both parents had a morning shift so they brought them to me before work. Nadia my daughter was working until 1 pm and she came direct to the park after work.

Nadia and I have known the sister we met for almost four years online, but this is the first time we actually met. It was so much fun and it felt like we've known each other forever! We spent the day with the kids in the park. The kids played with water most of the time, we had some snacks and griled sausages.

At 5 pm we went to get my lovely Donjana from the railway station. It was so good to see my baby after one week! I didn't even realize how much I missed her until she was actually back! Alhamdulilah! Her teacher told me that she was the best girl! She was the nice one, who always listened the adults and never made any problems! MashaAllah my little girl! ♥

Then went to see a running competition at the stadium. The kids were running next to the stadium pretending they're in the competition too! I was hoping they'd sleep early lol because they really made themselves tired!

After the competition The sister from the other town and her crew left home and so did we. It was a really nice day alhamdulilah! InshaAllah we can meet again soon! After we got home I barely emptied Donjana's bags, put the dishes to the machine, put the kids to sleep and I fell unconscious lol..

Today was the hottest day so far. We stayed out in the garden and our playground the whole day. Donjana didn't see her friends for one whole week, so I wanted to give her a chance to spend time with them. I did a little laundry. Lol, Donjana's camp clothes and sheets set.. Don't know if that's actually little :P ). Anyway it was a good day for laundry, the sheets got dry outside in two hours because of the wind and sun.. Inside the house it's next to impossible to get anything dry these days because of the humidity.

The rest of the day I did a little gardening and then sat under my tree knitting a tiny hat for a baby, who's supposed to be born soon. It was so relaxing.. the kids were too hot to run, so they played quite nicely alhamdulilah :D.

In the evening we made a little bbq and had some friends and family over to see a football game between Holland and Uruguay. Holland is my favorite and I'm so happy to see them going this far! My daughter Amira also came with her (f)dh. She brought some strawberries! They were sooo yummy!

After the first goal I got sms from a friend, who was also watching the game. Then I noticed that I had got another text too, one hour earlier!! I had missed that! The message said that my dear friend just had a beautiful baby girl! MashaAllah wa Alhamdulilah! I'm soooo happy for her and her dh! And I have to hurry up with the knitting.. I thought I still have at least a week..

Holland won the game, so that means they're in the final against Spain or Germany.. Hopefully Spain InshaAllah!

I sooo enjoy this weather we have these days. InshaAllah there's many more to come! I love summer! Alhamdulilah for everything!

Life, just nice life.. Alhamdulilah!

2010-07-02T00:24:00.007+03:00

It's hard to find the right headline for normal, lovely days.. It's just life. Nice life alhamdulilah!

So after Donjana left on the camp, the house has been somewhat more quiet.. Only my 'cat and dog', Deena and Nader, have been making some noise.. They seem to find reasons to make fuzz out of everything :P . Alhamdulilah no time to get bored!

On tuesday we went to the beach to swim and have picnic.. I took some hot dogs, bananas and juice with us. The weather was nice and sunny, but it was a bit windy, so the kids didn't swim much. I was kinda happy about it though.. There wasn't so many people around and I didn't have to worry that the kids will drown..Anyway, we had a really nice day! Deena was collecting shells and Nader was running around the beach playing football! :D it was hilarious to watch btw :P .

We got home in the evening, the kids were exhausted. So was I, but I had a job waiting for me.. High piles of clean clothes, ready and folded, waiting to be put away. And I did it! YAY me! I wish clean clothes had legs on their own though.. I never have a full laundry basked and I don't have a problem hanging clothes to dry or folding them after they're done. But putting them to closets.. Oh nooo.. :O I have no idea why it is so hard :P .

On Wednesday we went to my mother's summer house, just for the day. Nadia had been there over night with her kids, so all the kids got a chance to play together there for a while.. Or not all actually, Donjana is not here.. :'( .

We had some friends visiting there too. The day was wonderful! Lovely weather, some bbq, country side, good company.. And what did I do? Lol, most of the time I was laying in a hammock with my book :P . Ahhhhh summer!

It's weird to not have Donjana around. When I put food for the kids I always forget she is not here, and put three plates. :D In the morning I made them three sandwiches.. I'm pretty sure I will not learn to put only two before she is back already :P . I'm such a dork.. :D

Donjana has been enjoying herself on the camp! They've had a lot of activities and she is always exited about everything. On Tuesday night she was a bit home sick though, and she called me crying :'(. The older girl that shares room with her had gone to the shower and she was alone. Not nice on a bed time.. She is not used to sleep alone even here, she has Deena and Nader in the same room. Donjana relaxed after we spoke for a while alhamdulilah. Anyway, I had dh calling to her teacher the next day and tell him to make sure Donjana doesn't have to be alone in her room anymore after bed time, because that's the hardest moment for her in being away from home. Her teacher promised to take care of that alhamdulilah.

Yesterday Donjana's phone was closed so I couldn't call her good night. Today the phone was still closed, so I sent sms to the teacher to ask if her battery is empty or did she loose the whole phone.. The teacher called me back and told that it was empty and Donjana didn't know how to charge it. Poor her. I had told her though, but seems like she forgot.. Her teacher promised to help her alhamdulilah. And I spoke with Donjana too. She sounded exited again, and told me they had a party today! Alhamdulilah seems like she likes it there. She had been a bit home sick this morning as well, but after the breakfast she had forgotten all about it alhamdulilah! She is a big girl already mashaAllah!..

It's amazing how fast time goes and the kids grow mashaAllah! Today Nader went to a kids party to his friends' place, alone for the first time. They live in the next house from us, a few apartments away. I wasn't sure if he'd go alone - he knows the boys' mother well though. But yeah... He went, rang the doorbell, stepped in and didn't look back :D . mashaAllah he had a good time and didn't seem to miss me at all..

While Nader was at the party, I went with Deena to get Nadia's kids from the day care. Deena is going to the same place for pre-school in the autumn, so she is always exited to go there.. Laila and Ali spent the whole evening here, because Nadia and her husband both had an evening shift until 9 pm.

We spent most of the time outside, because the weather was nice.. I made dinner though, and while I was cooking the kids were watching a movie. After dinner we went back out. I cut the lawn and the kids were playing bowling :D . The evening was quite busy for me, but I still had a chance to sit back with my coffee cup out on the bench, while the kids were drawing with chalk on the asphalt next to me :P .

And now.. The house is quiet. Laila and Ali left home, my kids are sleeping, dishes are done (with the machine :P ), the laundry is done too.. (More clean piles developing again lol).. Time to lift my feet up and relaxxxxx! Oh life.. So ordinary and normal, with a lot of routines, but also full of pleasure. So many reasons for joy and happiness, if you just know where to find them! Alhamdulilah for everything!

She left

2010-06-28T23:45:00.004+03:00

We took donjana to the station this morning. She looked sooo tiny with her two bags! subhanaAllah i'm sure the bags weight as much as her . She is only 17kg.. I can't believe that I won't see her for a whole week now! The house will feel so empty!

We met the group at the railway station. First it looked like only one or two families subhanaAllah. After all, I guess there was kids from 4 or 5 different families, so maybe all the other kids had siblings there too, the ages were from 7 to 14.. There was one girl from donjana's arabic group so she knows at least someone already. I saw a few girls about her age, so there will be friends for her inshaAllah.

MashaAllah there was an older girl, who is also a leader on the camp (she's maybe 18 y/o or something, and she's been there before. I could tell her about Donjana's needs lol.. Well.. not much.. A little.. Eeeeekkk.. I sound so silly.. like some Mother Goose.. lol..

It was kinda funny there.. All the other kids were 100% arabs, I guess because half Finns usually have Finnish as their official mother language so they won't be able to go on these camps. A mother of one girl asked why a Finnish girl is coming lol.. I heard her.. She spoke in Arabic and maybe thought I didn't understand. The teacher said Donjana is an Arab from father's side.. I added, also in Arabic, that her father is Palestinian... Lol.. The mother was mute after that.. She realized I understood what she said.. She didn't say anything offensive or bad though, but I guess it was just because she didn't want to look too curious.. And she was smiling at me all the time..

After the teacher got their tickets he told them all to listen and get together. Then he said he will give each one their tickets in the train. He spoke arabic but I understood each word (he has Palestinian accent mashaAllah , but he spoke 'official' arabic) ). One of the smallest girls asked in Finnish: What did you say?' loooool I guess that girl's parents speak also Finnish at home or either their (iraqi or irani?) accent is too different. The teacher said in Arabic kinda to himself with low voice that this is a camp for arab speakers lol..

There she is, behind the window

Soon after this Donjana went to the train with the group. Poor her, she couldn't manage to carry her bags.. Alhamdulilah one of the teachers took her bags so she didn't have to carry them. Her Arabic teacher sat next to her in the train (dh called him last night . I guess he told him to watch donjana good ). She left with a smile on her face mashaAllah. I was in tears but I'm sure this is all good. I've kept her like a small child kinda.. Maybe now she will learn to be more independent in a good way, taking better care of her things, clothes etc..

I called donjana once when she was on the way.. They had changed to the other train already, and she sounded exited and happy mashaAllah. I even forgot to ask her if she ate the sandwiches and apple that I put to her bag.. And I promised to myself to leave her in peace and call her only once when she arrives..

So I called her again in the evening. She sounded even more exited and told me that she has many new friends now! She had been playing mini golf and when I called they were playing football! There's a cool playground and a football field on the back yard and indoor playroom also. Sounds like a hotel to me lol mashaAllah!

Well.. it should: it's a huge, old mansion run by foundation for friends and families of kids with cancer. Lol so no old cottage, but a huuuge building with all the services. Oh , what a camp! They make conferences for business ppl, parties like wedding etc, camps for cancer kids, sports holidays etc there.. So i guess no rotten, old showers there . Actually they have even a really beautiful, new sauna.. I don't think donjana will get the touch of real camp life . To me it means either tent or bunk beds, sleeping bags etc.. This is her first camp, so it's easier for her like this..

When I called her the second time I remembered to ask about her snack: yes, she had been eating her sandwiches and the apple in the train, but still had some juice and pringles left alhamdulilah.

She shares a room with that older girl whom I met at the station and who is a leader there mashaAllah. Yeah, some of the rooms are for two.. What did I say.. Hotel holiday, not a camp, ***** 5 stars. Now I know Donjana is taken care of well! I wish she can sleep well and won't miss us too much. . I'm sure she will have a good time inshaAllah!

Donjana called me a bit after their bed time. I thought she will tell me she misses me or home or something.. But no. She wanted to tell me that she had a pyjama party with four of the smallest girls and they got to visit each others rooms. She was not tired so it was a bit difficult for her to sleep I guess. We said good night and it felt so weird.. She is 200 km away from me.. InshaAllah she slept soon after we spoke.

May Allah subhanahuwata'ala give her a fun holiday and a safe trip back home! Ameen.

here's a pic of the house mashaAllah

here's a link.. in finnish only, but there is some other piccies too..
http://www.kuortinkartano.fi/

Laundry day..Just for my little girl's camp ♥

2010-06-27T00:26:00.007+03:00

SubhanaAllah we have had a nice weather lately! InshaAllah it will stay next week!
On Monday Donjana is going on a camp for one week. it's for Arabic speaking kids, for keeping up with the language and culture. MashaAllah!

Today I have made 3 loads of laundry (the basket is empty now mashaAllah ). I want to make sure alllll her thousands of clothes are clean when I pack her things tomorrow. Gotta goo and empty the machine one more time soooonish..

I'm afraid I will pack too much stuff.. You just never know the weather here. It could be one week hot or one week cold and rain.. So I need to put for her clothes for every weather for 7 days.. She needs a rain coat, wellies, sandals, sport shoes, t-shirts, long sleeved shirts, jacket and pants for windy weather, cardigan or such, shorts, dresses, skirts.. One pair of party clothes for camp party.. sheets and sleeping bag.. OMG stresssssssss!

From my town 15 kids are going (and another 15 from other towns). I was planning to get her together with some older girl who could help her with stuff. This is her first time out from home over night . It woild be good if some older girl would keep her company.. i'm sure I will know one of the girls who go from here, or at least someone's mom inshaAllah!

Two teachers go from here too. One is the one that was teaching donjana Arabic language at school. He is palestinian and knows dh too. dh doesn't remember him though.. They haven't met through school yet. The other teacher was teaching Islam for Nenna at school and he used to teach our Finnish sisters group years ago at the masjid. He was a witness when nenna and her dh got married islamically. I know his wife too, she used to teach us Arabic at the masjid. And he has been with dh on a dawah weekend trip.. Alhamdulilah I know I can trust both of the teachers.

The camp is over 200km from here, they go with a train and busses. Donjana has motion sickness sometimes on long drives. I got her medicine for that. InshaAllah she won't be sick.

SubhanaAllah I'm worried about so many things.. The trip.. How she can manage with her clothing..? Will she know how to take care of herself, her phone, her pocket money..? (I think I will give her phone to one of the teachers and she can ask to use it when she needs it). Will she like the food (alhamdulilah, all halal!). Will she miss us too much..? Will she know how to sleep there..? . I know she makes new friends easily, so I'm pretty sure she will have a good time if she can just adjust to the situation..

She is such a big girl already, I can't believe how time flies.. She is my baby anyway..

Sisters, please make dua that she will have a safe trip and a good time!

May Allah bless and protect my little girl! Ameen

Only for Allah

2010-06-25T01:46:00.005+03:00

Today many people seem to forget what is really important. They think of property, matter in general, money, their looks and such things. Serving Allah (subhanahuwata'ala) is rarely the first thing in people's minds. It scares me to see that around me every day. So I searched for this story that I heard once a long time ago.

There was a pious man among the Banu Israel who always remained busy in the worship of Allah. A group of people came to him and told him that a tribe living nearby worshiper a tree. The news upset him, and with an axe on his shoulder he went to cut down that tree.

On the way, Satan met him in the form of an old man and asked him where he was going. He said he was going to cut a particular tree. Satan said, "You have nothing to be concerned with this tree, you better mind your worship and do not give it up for the sake of something that does not concern you." "This is also worship," retorted the worshiper.

Then Satan tried to prevent him from cutting the tree, and there followed a fight between the two, in which the worshiper overpowered the Satan. Finding himself completely helpless, Satan begged to be excused, and when the worshiper released him, he again said, "Allah has not made the cutting of this tree obligatory on you. You do not lose anything if you do not cut it. If its cutting were necessary, Allah could have got it done through one of his many Prophets."

The worshiper insisted on cutting the tree. There was again a fight between the two and again the worshiper overpowered the Satan. "Well listen," said Satan, "I propose a settlement that will be to your advantage." The worshipper agreed, and Satan said, "You are a poor man, a mere burden on this earth. If you stay away from this act, I will pay you three gold coins everyday. You will daily find them lying under your pillow. By this money you can fulfill your own needs, can oblige your relative, help the needy, and do so many other virtuous things. Cutting the tree will be only one virtue, which will ultimately be of no use because the people will grow another tree."

This proposal appealed to the worshiper, and he accepted it. He found the money on two successive days, but on the third day there was nothing. He got enraged, picked up his axe and went to cut the tree. Satan as an old man again met him on the way and asked him where he was going. "To cut the tree," shouted the worshiper. "I will not let you do it," said Satan.

A fight took place between the two again but this time Satan had the upper hand and overpowered the worshiper. The latter was surprised at his own defeat, and asked the former the cause of his success. Satan replied, "At first, your anger was purely for earning the pleasure of Allah, and therefore Almighty Allah helped you to overpower me, but now it has been partly for the sake of the gold coins and therefore you lost."

Source: From the book "Ihyaa-ul Uloom Ud Deen" by Imam Ghazzali (ra)

Some excellent news!

2010-06-22T00:48:00.005+03:00

I have some excellent news! When we came home from mom's place on saturday, a letter was waiting for us in the mail box. it was from the school where my older son applied. MashaAllah wa alhamdulilah Allahu Akbar, they accept him! I'm so happy about it! Otherwise i don't know what he would have done now that his grade school is over.

He will study surface finishing, and the group where he was accepted is a smaller, special group with less theory and more real work. I think it will be good for him. It's something he always wanted to do! I'm so happy for him and i hope that he will take the school seriously and study good inshaaAllah!

The whole weekend and the beginning of the week have been great alhamdulilah! On Sunday we went to the Adventure Park with Nadia's grew and found a group of our dear sisters with their children sitting on the grass! They were having a picnic. My daughter Nadia and I had missed the discussion about this event on FB, but alhamdulilah we were there and saw our group! We had a good time!

Today I had to get my medicine from the pharmancy in the center. We decided to go to the library too, and I found some really nice books I've been looking for! On the way there we saw that Amira's f-dh was working in his brother's pizzeria, so we went to say Salam to him. The kids wanted pizza of course, so we stayed..

Nader was finally eating normally! Or more than normally actually! :D Poor guy, I think he has been hungry all the time during the time he's been recovering from the operation. He could not eat any warm stuff until today, only soft bread, pudding,ice cream and stuff. He still has been complaining about pain while eating until yesterday.

First he ate a quarter of family size pizza and then half of normal size pizza on top of that. All together that makes one full adult size pizza, which even I have trouble eating (and I love pizza and always eat too much of it.. And regret later :D ). His smile was until his ears mashaAllah.

He also didn't ask for the pain killer anymore. The first week I gave him two kinds regularly, but the last couple of days only if he felt like he couldn't be without. Alhamdulilah he hasn't asked for it too many times.

This is the first night he sleeps without any painkillers. InshaAllah he will not wake up for pain. At least now he seems to sleep peacefully. And it's amazing to see him sleeping with closed mouth, breathing from his nose! He hasn't done that in a very long time.. If ever.. Alhamdulilah seems like the operation really helped him and he's recovering well!

In the country side!

2010-06-19T18:13:00.015+03:00

The kids and I were visiting my mom at her summer house in the country side. We slept there for two nights. MashaAllah we had so much fun, it was like a little holiday!

When we were leaving Nenna came to say bye to us. Laila wanted to go with us so much, so we took her too. Poor Ali, he was devastated. He shouted so much 'I like YAYA'(Laila) and wanted to run after the car.

Mom's place is in the end of this small private road, so it's a perfect place to have some hijab free days. too bad this time the weather wasn't warm enough to have some tan on my arms.. At least my hijabi tan lines are not that sharp on my face now lol..

We entered mom's house. The first thing we did was changing clothes. I keep some worn out old fashioned clothes and extremely ugly old dresses there so that we don't have to carry many bags with us. So don't wonder why the kids wear so ungly stuff in the pics :D

Mom had lunch ready when we arrived. The kids ate like they've never seen food lol. I love mom's kitchen, so cozy.. And she still cooks sometimes with a real wood oven or what ever it's called in english..

Then they run to their play house. They love it! My mom's husband built it when my older daughters were little, so already two generations have been playing in it..

The most of the whole three days we spent there, they were playing there or next to it in the sand box. They played even cleaning the house, which is not their style lol.. The house wasn't very clean after the cleaning btw.. :P

They 'cooked' some funny stuff and invited mom, her dh and I to eat. Hehe.. it was delicious :p . Mom let the girls take chives flowers and they went to pick up whole spring onions lol..

They dig out the horses I made them two years ago. It so funny, they treat them like 'real horses' for a while but then they suddenly throw them somewhere and forget they exist lol.. They have always wanted to bring them home, but i think they have more interest in them when they can play with them only twice a year or something ;) .

and the bows and arrows that I made last summer. Lol, yeah.. Every time they have a task for me. This year they wanted me to make swords :D , so I did. Mom's dh has an every man's dream, a work shop with all the tools you can dream of. he has also plenty of materials for things, and when ever i feel like making something, he has everything I need.

Nader was helping me. He didn't have an electric machine btw.. just some sand paper on that plastic thingy.. And these are NOT crosses, they are swords! We made one for Ali too. Poor thingh had to stay home with mama..

They were playing the four musketeers lol.. All for one and one for all. I wish they would really understand it btw.. they're all quite selfish and don't want to share :D . I'm not sure i let them keep the swords though.. Depends if they know how to handle them without anyone getting hurt. they're not sharp btw :P .

Last year I had a task from mom too.. I knitted and crocheted new clothes for these puppets. Now half of the colours are gone..

After I finished the task of the year, it was time for me to relax.. I was just watching mom's beautiful garden, reading a good book in a swing with my coffee cup.. MashaAllah, so peaceful..

The day went too fast, just relaxing, eating, weeding some of mom's veggie beds.. Yeah.. she has so delicious veggies, all organic.. Means a lot of weeding..

It's quite therapeutic btw.. All the aggressions are taken care of after pulling out thousands of thistles, having hands full of spikes.. No, of course I don't wear cloves.. When you pick up thistle spikes from your hands you really feel alive ;) . I should do that more at home too lol.. my lawn has some thistles, but I just run on them with the cutter usually..

While I was weeding, the kids had been using the water colours. they messed up their room upstairs, some splashes of colour were found around the floor and walls :o. they also played indians and painted some stuff on each others faces.

All of us got quite dirty lol, so we went to the sauna to wash ourselves. I love mom's sauna, it's not electric like mine, it's heated with real wood. Feels totally different.

Soon it was time to put the kids to bed.. Laila and Deena slept in the bed on the right side, one at each end of the bed. Donjana slept on the sofa in the right side. You can see some of their water colour mess on the table..

Nader and I slept on the bed made of the upstairs living room sofa. It took some time to make the kids to fall asleep, especially Deena. Alhamdulilah finally They were all down. I could sit, relax and watch some football.. Mom and her husband were sleeping as well.

The other days went pretty much like the first day.. We started with breakfast. Even Nader could eat quite well.. He still has pain in his throat from the operation. He cried only when he saw me at the table. With mom he ate like nothing happened. :D I'm soooo gonna get him rid of that habit.

This is mom's downstairs living room btw..

Mom's nearest neighbor is a horse farm. it's about 300m away.. If you are a bird.. By walklking the road it's maybe 600meters away. I'm quite sure you can't see the little red house behind the field in the pic.. maybe if you click to grow it you can see it.

My kids love horses. they would love to take riding lessons too, but it's sooo €€€ here :( . InshaAllah later some day.

We had a really fun and relaxing time. Im pretty sure mom is not so relaxed though :D . InshaAllah she is resting now. She couldn't have a break from the kids lol..

So we said good bye and left. On the both sides of mom's private road there's so pretty flowers. I just had to stop one more time and take a pic :D . Not feeling like going home, but mom needs her own time with her dh.

InshaAllah we'll be going back in a month, when the berries are ready to be picked up :P

Nader is fine and recovering

2010-06-12T13:39:00.005+03:00

So on thursday I woke up Nader early in the morning and took him to the hospital. He was so sleepy, I was afraid he'll throw a fit, but I managed to get him out from the house without drama alhamdulilah. On the way we ended up queueing for a long time in some traffic lights, because they're renewing some asfalt on the highway. I wish I knew it, I would have taken another route. Alhamdulilah we managed to get to the hospital in time.

We signed in downstairs and were told to go to the 11th floor to the ENT outpatient ward. We were taken to the room and got some hospital clothes for Nader. There wasn't much stuff his size, the nurse found only one pair of pants and a t-shirt. They've had a lot of his age kids there lately, so everything was finished. Lol he was proud of his little t-shirt :D

There was still about one and half hours wait before Nader's turn. He watched some videos until it was time for him to be taken to the operation room. I went with them downstairs and said bye to Nader by the door of the operation ward. Then I headed up on the hill in the hospital garden with my book and a thermos full of coffee. Got to get my mind somewhere else so I wouldn't worry. I had over an hour to wait.

My little Nader's operation went well alhamdulilah. They got the palatine tonsils and adenoids both removed as planned, and put the tubes to his ears. I was told that there was a lot of secretion in his both ears. I was surprised because he didn't have any pain in his ears and even the specialist who checked him saw that only in one ear. Alhamdulilah it's taken care now before it affected to his hearing or balance.

He is recovering now. Eating and drinking seem to be a bit of a problem, but alhamdulilah he is trying so he gets at least something. it's heart breaking to see him craving for something and then when he tries, he can't have it. :(

I have tons of popsicles and ice cream at home, but he doesn't seem to be interested. He tried two kinds of ice cream and one kind of popsicle. Now they're in the freezer half eaten.

I can't make him drink as much as recommended, but he doesn't have any signs of dehydrating, so i think it's all good. And he surprised me yesterday! He ate a big plate on cold tagliatelle with plain creme sauce.. alhamdulilah. he's been eating chocolate pudding too. seems like it's easier to swallow than liquid stuff.

He hasn't had any bleeding alhamdulilah. InshaAllah he will continue recovering well!

Trip to Moomin World: picture gallery!

2010-06-11T21:52:00.017+03:00

On Tuesday we went to Moomin World. at first we had a plan to go on Thursday, but then i got a phone call from the hospital that they could operate Nader that day, so we had to change our plan. Nader is not allowed to 'get sporty' for the next couple of weeks, so we didn't really have a choice.

here's a picture gallery of our trip to the Moomin Valley

Taking the Moomin train on the way to the Moomin World

At the gate of the Moomin World

Moomin House

The beautiful Moomin Valley

Niiskuneiti, Moonin Troll, Moomin Papa, Niisku and Nipsu at the presentation of Niisku's Flying Boat.

Vilijonkka, her daughters and Little My

Nader hugging Moomin Papa

The kids with Hemuli

The Moomins singing Moomin song

At Moomin Theater Little My, Moomin Troll and the Witch

Hemuli and Little My at the theater

The Witch by her house with Alisa

The Witches Maze

The boogie Man's house.. He freezes everything.

Moomin Waterfall. there was a volcano on the top too, but it doesn't show because the sun was shining so bright.

Some strange thing lol giving water to frogs in a pond :D

Drontti Edward

Drontti Edward and Too-Ticky's house

Going to Moomin Papa's Boat

A view to the archipelago from the Moomin Boat

Kitchen of Moomin Papa's boat

Donjana wrote to Moomin Papa's guest Book

The note my kids left to Moomin Papa. Donjana wrote: it's fun here. What have you been doing Moomin Papa?

Too-Ticky telling the kids how to make friendship bracelets.. Lol I made them after all :P

Listening to adventure story of Nuuskamuikkunen

A view from a rock next to Nuuskamuikkunen's tent. the tower you can see is the summer castle of the Finnish president. it looks tiny from here, but it is a castle and not very small :P

Decorating their own cakes

Deena hugging Moomin Mama

Nader hugging Moomin Troll

Donjana hugging Moomin Mama

Moomin kitchen

Moomin dining room

Moomin Papa's and Mama's bedroom

Little My's room

Niiskuneiti's bedroom

Moomin Papa's office room

Plaing at Moomin Troll's room

Moomin Troll has interesting toys :P

Nader hugged even Stinky

Stinky in jail.. Like always..

The girls with Nipsu

Hemuli's house

At Hemuli's kitchen

Nipsu's house

The kids playing with Little My and Vilijonkka

Little My dancing at the Moomin Theater

At the Moomin Theater

Nader sitting in front of the Moomin House

Playing with the Moomins at Niisku's Flying Boat

Bye bye Moomins, see you next year inshaAllah!

This is my beautiful birth town Naantali, where the Moomin World is located.

After visiting the Moomins we spent some time in Naantali just relaxing and having a snack.

The lovely Old Town in Naantali.

Naantali church. that's where I have been babtist as a baby.

More of the Old town

I just love walking there.. so beautiful! And some people get actually to live there..

The Old town is actually just next to the center, but looks like country side mashaAllah!

The Old town has many tiny alleys. This is one of the widest ones.

We had a really fun day and the weather was perfect! It was sunny but not hot, just good for a hijabi ;) . Alhamdulilah we got to go before my little man went to the hospital.

Nader will be operated tomorrow

2010-06-09T22:07:00.007+03:00

My little boy needs an operation :( . Nader has had his nose running or blocked almost since he was born. If he gets a flu, his nose will be running two months after the flu is gone. Usually it's been better in the summer. He has always been breathing hard while sleeping, and lately he has been snoring too.This spring he had an ear infection, and when we went to check out if it was healed after a few weeks, the infection was still there.

We had appointment with an ENT, and she checked Nader. She said that his ear is still not healed. It's not really infected either, so it doesn't need antibiotics.. It just has some liquid inside. They call it glue ear, because his adenoids are way too big so the ear air conditioning doesn't work.

His adenoids need to be removed and he needs ear tubes. His palatine tonsils are huge as well, and if they're not removed now, they will need to be removed sooner or later anyway. It's better everything is done at once so we don't have to think about it again and Nader don't have to go through the pain and stuff twice.

We were supposed to get a letter from the hospital about one week before the operation, but yesterday they called me and asked if we can go on thursday. We had a plan to go to Moomin world that day, so we had to change our plan. We left to Moomin world right away so the choldren wouldn't miss it. Nader can't go anywhere for a whole week after the operation, and 'sport' is forbidden two weeks, so we can't go to any action places any time soon.

It might be hard on Nader to take it easy for so long. I guess about 99% of his moves can be counted as sport, he is a really active kid mashaAllah. He is a strong boy and inshaAllah he'll recover quickly.

We bought tons of ice cream, ice lollies, chocolate puddings, spiced yogurts etc, because nader can eat only cold foods on the first days. He is exited.. For now. I'm afraid once he realizes why he needs to eat those, he may throw a fit and refuse to eat anything. I really don't know what to expect from him. He is usually not making problems when he is sick, but he throws fits for getting hurt and acts very dramatic sometimes, so his reaction can be pretty much anything. InshaAllah he will understand to not shout and eat his ice thingies nicely..

So, tomorrow morning at 8 am we need to check in the hospital. The operation will start about at 10 am. If everything goes well, we can go home about 4 hours after the operation, so it should be some time in the afternoon inshaAllah.

Hang in there Nader habibi! ♥ mama loves you! ♥

May Allah subhanahuwata'ala bless and protect my little boy and let the surgery go well! Ameen

Please sisters, keep him in yalls duas! ♥

Takbir!

2010-06-08T02:14:00.009+03:00

MashaAllah wa alhamdulilah! My dh attended to a dawah meeting in Copenhagen last weekend. I can see that it did him good mashaAllah, because he is more calm and relaxed, and seems more happy too.

Something sad happened on their trip. A group of Somali brothers from my town were also on the way to the meeting. They had a car accident and one of the brothers died. Inna Lillahi wa Inna Ilayhi Rajioon. May Allah subhanahuwata'ala grant him Jannah and give sabr to his family Ameen. Two others in that car got hurt, but not seriously. After seeing a doctor they continued their journey and went to the meeting. MashaAllah.

We don't talk about the religion too often, dh is not a religious man. This evening we were talking about his trip and what they were doing and talking about in the meeting. Then he told me that he promised to go on dawah tour for 40 days (chilla?). MashaAllah I'm so happy about it! We will miss him of course, but it's for a good reason and I feel that this is exactly what he needs! Alhamdulilah Allahu Akbar! May Allah subhanahuwata'ala guide him and all of us! Ameen