Life is Yummy Good

V(e)ntage of an aspiring woman and wife. The mother in me speaks on Eesa's blog. The activist, feminist and student in me speaks at Unshackled. This is the blog where I put all the different facets of my life together; to realize and appreciate God, Marriage, Relationships, Love and Life.

Monday, October 30, 2006

Colours..




I think God made fall for me. Just the perfect richness of reds and orange, tinged with just the right amount of greens. SubhaNAllah.


(pictures courtesy: http://www.perkowitz.net/)

Sunday, October 29, 2006

NJ update...

We've still got our luggage in tow! InshaAllah we're planning to leave after Imran's b-ball Fantasy League draft tonight at 7 inshaAllah.

Here's the sad part! I haven't gone out shopping yet!!! The only place I've been able to sneak into has been walmart and ross! YES! walmart! OMG i went crazy there. everything was like half price. Eesa's pull ups which are regularly 17.99 in Toronto were 8.79 for a bigger pack!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! scotch guard which is like 11 bucks in TO was 5 something here. and my favourite... STARCH.... 94cents!!!!!!! i got enchilada sauce, taco bell seasoning for tacos, kosher pringles in cheesums and baked potato flavors (thes eflavors dont even exist in TO) and lots of whack stuff!

at ross i found this really cute b-ball top for eesa... for just 2.99!!!!!!!!! when we got to the counter, the lady mentioned that the outfit has pants with it coz its a 2pc suit. bajia was waiting in the car so i said forget it (i was really happy with that price even as a one pc). last yr i bought him a sacramento kings tshirt for the same price too!

Eesa got horded with eidee. i dont know what to get for him yet. he got tons of gifts too from his extremely boyishly boyish cousins - really cute stuff!

oh how could i forget... i'd been ordering some stuff online for a while and was having them delivered here because of outrageous cutoms prices in canada (we've paid almost thrice the product cost on customs for accessories in imos old car!). i got to open up all the boxes yest and opening gifts is one of the most exciting feelings for me!

acc to imo, here's the most astonishing part .... i didnt visit bath and body works! :O:O *sigh* infact i didnt even visit a mall! *sniff*

ok im out!

Friday, October 27, 2006

In New Jersey...

It was just a Thought. Then a Consideration. With in minutes it was Decided. Packed. Drove 10 hours. And now Arrived Alhamdolillah.


Update: We're in New Jersey. Day before yesterday I mentioned to Imran how I was really missing family on Eid and ran the idea of meeting cousins and aunt in New Jersey. I'd been wanting to meet my aunt who's been over from Pak for a while. Anyhow, it was barely a two minute convo.

Yesterday morning, Imran calls from work and says he's renting the car and could take friday off if we wanna go. Sheza has a hard time saying no to time with her cousins, so sheza said 'yaaaay'. Car and a 10 hour drive later - we're here!!

It's nice being here and spending time with family. it's sooo relaxing alhamdolillah. i even convinced my cousin to let us paint the kiddos' rooms. One of them is a 14 yr sport freak boy and loves lime green (yaaaaaaaY!) so we painted his room green with sporty stuff around the room. the other is a 12 year old girl who loves purple and glittery stuff so we painted her room a pale purple with lots of glittery star stuff stencilled on.

anyhow, we're driving back on sunday. so inshaAllah hear back more from me then!

Thursday, October 26, 2006

Wednesday wanderings thought 3: Because, somehow, it all clicks...

Camera... action...
*click*
*click*
*click*

*click*

*click*

Sunday, October 22, 2006

Moonsighting...

I miss the days when we used to go to karachi for Eid. Right after maghrib prayers, all of us cousins would run upstairs and scan the skies.

Aaagh! the good old technology-free days!

Eidun Saeed...

It's here. It's that time of the year when I get to fully turn on my fairy lights, lay out my new beddings and adorn new clothes.

We'd be celebrating eid on monday inshaAllah but most likely would be going to my in-laws on sunday night. That left us with just today and tmrw to put together everything. It was a tradition at my grandparents and parents' place to give the house a makeover on eid. It was what made Eid so special for us.

So today we took on the tradition upon ourselves to give Eesa the "eid feel'. We started by giving the house a spring clean. I made out a list of things that needed tobe done and got nayma into the game plan as well =). Here's what our tasks list looked like..


Task Owner Check

NBA LIVE 07 Reward!!

Kitchen floor Imran DONE
Kitchen Stove Imran DONE
Kitchen Sink Imran DONE
Kitchen Counters Imran DONE
Dishwasher three of us DONE
Dining table Nayma DONE
Vacuum Nayma DONE
Mop living room. Sheza DONE

Remove bedding Sheza
Laundry bedding Imran
Lay out new bedding Sheza
Wash washroom Sheza DONE
Clear office Sheza DONE
Curtains Imran
Put away winter clothes. Imran
Move lamps Sheza DONE
Clean microwave Nayma DONE

Clean fridge Sheza
Clean front closet Sheza DONE
Clean flower pot Imran DONE
Iron eid clothes Sheza Done


I've also managed to alphabetize all our dvds... let's see how long those last with eesa around!

Eid is sooooo exciting this year!! I've patiently waited 6 months to lay out my fave bedding set from chen one in pak.. it was a bedding i fell in love with at first sight while i was in khi. But to add that lil zing to the excitement, nayma's in town. So you know what that means!!! she's painting! she's painting out my bedding prints onto canvases... one's done, one more to go! they look GORGEOUS mashaAllah! i have new curtains going up as well inshaAllah, along with a new sofa that will be ordered on tuesday! =)

my eid gift shopping isnt complete, but it's become so much of a headache, i've just given up on it. i started out with my list before eid since i hate shopping ramadan. now we've decided to get the immediate family tickets to a raptors game. so now im just going to gift out the gifts to extended family(imran's first cousins etc)!! Imran has three cousins that are tiny, that I havent bought anything for yet. still gotta get that done inshaAllah and then I'm done!

there's so much i wanna write! but i just realized i have an asgmt that i need to touch up on so i can hand it in before monday! so tadaaa! talk to ya guys laterrrrrr

Saturday, October 21, 2006

Hurricane aunty...

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Today I've learnt that giving naseeha(advice) is alot easier giving than taking it.

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I've often mentioned how I love alfalah. I've never mentioned two of my favourite characters there. One is the Hurricane aunty and the other one's her counterpart - the milder, snowstorm aunty.

These two paki aunties come to the masjid for one month a year and bully the rest of us like anything. The snowstorm aunty gave me nightmares last year after i saw her screaming at one of the volunteers on eid day who was frying samosas for the mosque fundraiser. I thought she was the hurricane but ever since i've seen this new one, i think her intensity is more like that of a snowstorm.

The aunties at the masjid host iftar for one night in ramadan. the day before this night, they came into the masjid and cleaned out the mosque. they went into places, i would never dare going into and dug out all the mess. They even placed plants etc around the mosque. They definitely deserve kudos for it.

This iftar happened somewhere in the middle of Ramadan this year. Suddenly from the very next night, the moment you had food in your hand, they'd run to u and put plastic mats underneath your food. Now don't get me wrong, it's excellent that they took the initiative to do so... but there are manners to do so as well. Alfalah has a sisters prayer hall and a general area for kids etc. These aunties would kick you out from even there. The snowstorm aunty did most of this bullying.

Now comes the hurricane aunty. Picture this. isha prayers just got over, imaam just lead an awesome isha, with the most tranquil recitation ever. He now gives you a break to do sunnah. With the isha he just lead, you're really looking forward to the taraweeh with him. Break over. Imaam is now starting his taraweeh. He says 'Allahu akbar'. *wham* the door for the sisters hall opens and in walks in the hurricane aunty screaming away for sisters to fill in gaps. Lady, couldn't u do this before the iimaam said Allahu akbar? and do u neccessarly have to scream to do this? I kid you not, she literally bullies everyone in an extremely rude way.

Today, imo's cousin braced herself to politely pull hurricane aunty to the side and mention to her that what she does it not only rude, but very disturbing during prayers. She did this in a very polite way by pulling the lady to the side and everything. Moreover, B mentioned that hurricane aunty's volume is so loud, she can easily be heard in the men's section.

WHOOOOOAAAA! big mistake!

Poor B, she faced the hurricane onslaught. B is a very soft spoken girl whereas aunty hurricane is loud and aggressive. Aunty Hurricane got so loud, we all became so aware of what was going on. and since we all had the same problem with aunty hurricane, there was a LARGE group of women standing there and complaining to aunty hurricane abt the same thing. B explained very nicely, that imagine yourself being at the prophets time, would the prophet scream at the women the way you do? the prophet led by example, stand in a line and pull people closer! if there are gaps still, its not ur problem. the hurricane aunty turned it around and said: well when u guys talk, doesnt it bother others? we said, well thats your naseeha for us, we accept it - we wont talk. you should accept your naseeha. so the aunty raised her voice louder and started pointing fingers at B (i swear my heart was crying out for B!) and said, "i've been told by alot of ppl abt this, but gaps still remain, i've been doing it for 6 yrs, i will differ wth your argument and continue to do so". B apologized and said "i'm not trying to be rude but i think u represent me as a muslim and what you do is wrong, the prophet peace be upon him would never yell at his wives lke you do". the aunty goes "well the women never listen and i will correct them anyway" and walked off while venting to aunty storm..

here's my issue:
a: the imam announces for everyone to straighten their lines and eveyrone is supposed to follow, if they don't, it's their accountability.

b: both these aunties are part of a sisters tarbiyah program, if all they do is smell and yell, what do they learn in these classes if the youth have to correct them? even f you are not a die hard practicing muslim, these are basic human ettiquettes that are shared be humanity across the globe! but then this is a mosque, throw into the equation a religion of peace and love, a prophet of exemplary compassion - where does this behavour fit?

c: the hurricane aunty kept pointing fngers at B and kept yelling at her and kept dilating her eyes, as though she was talking to animals (and i swear to you, that's how she yells at people in the masjid!). *grr* what are they learning?

d: hurricane aunty kept admitting people have told her to stop before but she continues to do so because people arent learnng. HELLO! maybe your method isnt the best???

e: if you're happily bossing away ppl wth your naseeha, be ready to take it back too. if you're not happy with the way they stand, they're not happy with the way you yell. if you can give it, be ready to take it right back!

e: who has made her the officer-in-charge anyway??

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

A Race Against Time...

So much to do, such little time...

- Confirm speakers for qiyam ul layl
- Make flyer for Qiyaam
- Arrange food for qiyaam ul layl
- make schedule for qiyaam ul layl

- Eid clothes
- Eesas eid clothes
- Get iron on basketball
- Imran's Eid clothes
- Iron Eid clothes
- Make gift list for immediate family
- Do gift list shopping
- Make gift list for extended family and friends
- Do gift list shopping
- Complete group process asgmt
- Complete fem counselling asgmt
- Complete revision for intr to fem
- email essay to marg by thurs
- Pick up foundation from MAC
- Request extensions for all asgmts due on monday
- Call tassavur
- Call Muslim welfare Centre
- Call Atiqa
- Visit Costco for jalapeno poppers
- sofa (*groans*)
- Eesa's appointment (moved to oct 31st, 1:30)
- ask maryam abt counselling asgmt
- toys r us (trampoline, carseat toys)
- bank (abbu's work)
- shoppers drug mart (imo's work)
- post the mail for ISSA
- Scream into a pillow!

Monday, October 16, 2006

She's here...

Thank God for surprises. My lil sis, Nayma, showed up from India today! I knew she was coming sometime near eid, was expecting her next week! I'm so happy she came earlier. yaaaaaaaaaay!

I was at an iftar when she came, everyone kept asking me how come it was a surprise. Well, my family loves surprises esp for me since I'm the only one so far away. Alhamdolillah I love them too coz it saves me from waiting. And waiting patiently, is something I'm so not good at! Alhamdolillah!

And ofcourse, she arrived a few hours ago, we've already started devouring my fave yummy dark chocolate with almonds from Taj, tried out all the abayas, rummaged through the million and one hijabs, skirts and earrings. =)

Love you mama for sending them and love u naymz for bringing them!=)

Sunday, October 15, 2006

It's confirmed...

I'm off to Winnipeg, Manitoba in just abt 3 weeks for my training! booyaaka!

yeaaa huh! 3 days! just me, myself and I! =)

A sometimes sobia realization....

Constant agreeing and unconditional obedience does not translate to respect.

(thnx Sobia!)

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Fall...

I love the season.
I love the colours.
I love the smell.
I love the clean plants.

But dear God, I don't love the gloomy days! I don't love the mugginess. I dont love the migraines. Dear God, Please send us a cool sun - the kind that doesnt require us to perspire nor wear a jacket!! I just want the brightness back!

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

On organizing...

It's been a while since i shared my organizing inspirations. LOL. I think I'd rate organized living as one of the 15 most fulfilling feelings in the world! this evening, imran was asking me if i knew where somethng was. imagine his shock when i told him, 'it's the third paper in the second last file in the filing box which is on the far right on the right shelf in the closet'. i know exactly where everything is!!!!!!!!!! it's soooooooooo time saving! (with the midterms coming up in two weeks, thats a definite bonus!)

ive also set up a schedule for myself so it doesnt feel as though im cleaning all the time, every day.

Imran takes out the trash and recycling everyday. I also sweep the floor and do the dishes everyday. Also, every day, we spend five minutes towards a quick tidy in each room - make the bed, wipe the bedsides, pick up clothes/socks etc. It usually doesnt even take five minutes in most rooms. Eesa's room usually takes the longest coz of his toys but even then,, while he makes the bed (yes, he knows exactly how to!!!), i pick up the toys and hang clothes etc. this way we're done in under 10 mins.

Mondays we clean the kitchen throughly and tuesdays is bathrooms. wednesday is for the living room and dining (dusting and wiping/sweeping/vacuuming everything and i mean EVERYTHING). thursdays is for office and entry way (entry way closets too). friday is sweeping/vacuuming(it's on its way!) and dusting the bedrooms. I also clean the blinds on friday mornings.

this way im not obsessively cleaning away already clean rooms. And since everything is mantained well, it usually doesnt take longer than 45 minutes to an hour each day. When i clean the rooms, i clean from top to bottom in a 360, around the room from left to right.

The highlight of this has been the fact that we also ordered a new vacuum!!! once that arrives, cleaning would hopefully be a breeze inshaAllah. I'm really picky abt vacuums so we never got around to buying ourselves one ever since we moved. i had a list of requirements in my vacuum and wasnt willing to compromise until i found the right one. I hate vacuums with bags (coz of all the discontinuing they do) so I needed a bagless one. I needed it to be 1o amps or 12 amps - 7 amp ones are simply horrible! (ask mannam, they work like men without food!) I needed one with a HEPA filter (theyre excellent for removing dust mites in mattresses, sofas and pillows!). i also didnt want a stick vac (again, they dont have the power). and i wanted it in any colour but red and black! (don't ask me why!!)

i'd narrowed down to three that i really liked. about 2 months ago they went on sale(all during the same week) and were sold out within 15 minutes of store opening on saturday. there was almost an 80 bucks difference in price and i wasnt in a rush so i wanted to wait out for hte next sale. We almost missed it this week too since there were none left in store. We were going to get a raincheck on it but settled on buying it online instead. although it was only 50 bucks off this week, Alhamdolillah i'm super excited abt it. What i like the most abt this vacuum is the fact that it comes with a handheld vacuum too - which makes it soooo convenient for the crumbs that make their way under the sofa cushions!

oh lastly, coming back to the organizing!! another trick that i find time saving is that I keep a basket with me while i'm cleaning so that if i come across something that doesnt belong in the particular area, i just put it in the basket. The next day, when i go from room to room to do my morning 5 minute clean up, i carry the basket with me and replace everything to its place! otherwise, if something is not where its supposed to be, i know it hasnt been replaced and is still in the basket!

I've been looking for random inspirations these days. I've been bugging friends/cousins for their stories/ideas. if you've got some...share!

Friday, October 06, 2006

Technology...

It is perhaps the height of technology to be blogging while driving - on a wireless toll-ed highway (hwy 407)- using a wireless modem (blackberry) on a wireless laptop with a wireless GPS map tracker!

Mind boggling!

p.s. being able to chat on msn while on long drives has finally allowed me to welcome this previously wretched device into the Merchant-Hasan household!

Welcome Blackberry - we may just get along!

Getting it all together...

It's about putting the lows with the highs.

The last few weeks have seen an intense emotional flux, moments of introspections, reflections and acute realizations. Nothing dramatically depressing or joyful, but enough "drama" to bring about an overwhelming sense of self actualization and of gratitude. Gratitude for all that Allah swt has blessed me with and a whole lot more that He has saved me from.


Nothing shames me more into gratitude towards Allah swt that the mere fact that I was born a muslim. (the feminist in me wishes to emphasize 'muslim female', at this point). Despite the many gut wrenching, emotional events of the last few weeks, Alhamdolillah i feel quite content and tranquil. And sometimes having that feeling of inner peace and the tranquility of being content is way more satisfying than having short moments of hapiness.

This Ramadan has been the first ramadan in the last 3 yrs that I'm really enjoying. I've felt that the last three ramadans came and went by without me extracting enough from it. Despite the constant reminders of Sa'ad's absence, Imo's frequent travel, friends needing emotional support and a few other hiccups here and there, this Ramadan seems to be converging the down days with high days. Alhamdolillah, the balance of high days is like an emerging Prius within me - my very own internal hybrid of contentment. =)

I've been all over in this post. Perhaps a representation of the inner need to pay gratitude to the many forms of blessings i've been surrounded with or perhaps its simply the inability of words to reflect the Prius of my mind. Praise be to Allah swt.

Thursday, October 05, 2006

I heart Al falah