PIZZA!

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! 

Our own eid traditions - Meidän eid-perinteet

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.

haaaaaaaaaaa.. he scores! se tekee maaaaalin!

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..

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!

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!

HOLIDAY!

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!

bye ramadan, happy eid and welcome autumn..

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! ♥

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

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.

Lovely three days! Sooooo happy!

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!