Shukr coming to RIS

This time at RIS Shukr will have a few booths. Sadly I won't be going this year but for the rest of you be sure not to miss this chance. Insha Allah an interesting speaker will be there too for the first time, as far as I know; Tayibba Taylor who is the owner of Azizah magazine. Yusuf Islam(Cat Stevens) will be there too insha Allah but I'm kind of disappointed in where he's taking his music career. I'm really going to miss the bazaar in general but especially the book fair. Gotta love having Popeyes for lunch and dinner, lunch and dinner...hey there's no Popeyes where I live..give a woman a break, lol.

Raising the Roof -Chez Toit

This is an organization that is raising money for youth homelessness by selling toques. If you're Canadian you will know that toques are winter hats. The French words for the campaign are so catchy - Chez Toit, it would usually be Chez toi - your place but instead its toit meaning roof. Its cold out there and there's no reason anyone should be homeless in a rich country like Canada but its happening so I think its best to help out. You can purchase toques online, by cheque or at a Virgin Mobile store. Here's the link.

Muslim Home Decorating

Although a muslim's life is supposed to be very simple it is still halal to have a little decoration in your home. Pictures of animate life is forbidden though including photos on the wall. Quranic verses are also used as decorations but scholars say it is only halal if they are actually being used to remind the believer and not just being ignored. A picture of the kaaba (without the worshippers around it) in the direction of Makkah is a very useful reference point as well as visually lovely. Even a lovely library of Islamic books in their rich colours with gold coloured printing provide a beautiful backdrop. Duas for entering and exiting on the door are also a nice touch. Beautiful prayer mats and garments and quran holders also put the believer in a tranquil state of mind. Geometric designs also have always been popular in the islamic world as well. Happy decorating.

I Spy giveaway!

With the launch of my daughter's Etsy shop; Handmade Beginnings, I thought I'd offer a giveaway from her shop. The winner (Canada & US only) gets to choose any I spy bag from her shop and it will be mailed out to them. Contest closes December 22nd, 2009 (midnight tonight). Winner will be chosen randomly. No anonymous comments. Package to be sent the same day.

So here's the question : What is your child's favourite handmade toy that they own?Also please state which I Spy bag from her shop is your favourite.

Insha Allah your child will love this prize.

Favourite blog?

What is your favourite blog and why? My daughter says hers is Chasing Cheerios. I really like Happy Muslim Mama and was following it even before I ever had a blog. There are so many inspiring blogs out there. I am really enjoying the blog world; so much creativity and insight. So please share your favourite blog so we can enjoy your treasured pick.

Instructables

My daughter passed on a great site to me called Instructables. People share ideas with each other about how to make and build things. This is great for homeschooling. I saw great ideas for catapults for my third grader. Cake decorating and playhouse making are among tons of ideas from the mundane to the quirky to the outrageous. Get ideas, share ideas and become a member to get even more content.

I want to be a ...... when I grow up.

Someone suggested that I get my kids to learn about what they want to be when they grow up as a homeschooling activity. So I asked them all what they were interested in and then got stacks of books and movies about each thing. My second son who originally wanted to work for NASA now wants to save the orangutans in Sabah and is reading this. My third son is interested in electricity, heating and cooling and construction and has built a lighthouse that really lights up. My fourth son is also interested in construction and wants to build a mosque when he grows up. My third daughter is interested in massage therapy, carpentry and firefighting; previously she was fire chief for a day. My fourth daughter says she wants to be a teacher and a doctor. Insha Allah they will all do things to benefit the ummah.

"My First Cake"

Here is my 3rd daughter's first creation made with her Eid gift; Easy Bake decorating kit. I'm gonna have to fight for baking time now.

Homeschooling series

Islamonline has a new series about homeschooling. The first installment is here and addresses different methods. There is also a Q & A session here. Keep an eye out for more installments. Its nice to see homeschooling being addressed by a muslim website. The muslim homeschooling scene has been quite quiet recently especially compared to 10 yrs ago when it seemed red hot.

Book memories 2009 and book dreams for 2010

Quick what Islamic books did you read this year? Did they impact your life? Which were your favourites? What is on your must read list for next year?

This year I read ( among others)

Enjoy Your Life I loved this book and would highly recommend it - life changing.

Beyond The Kitchen For anyone who works or intends to.

A Light at the End of the Tunnel Stories for teens but I loved them too.

Realities of Submission Really explained the whole salafi movement.

Release Your Inner Queen of Sheba For anyone who wants to be inspired and motivated.

For the future I am looking at these gems insha Allah.

Ameena's Ramadan Diary Should have gotten this earlier right?

The Size of a Mustard Seed Interesting islamic fiction.

Turning the Tide Introspective.

Stories from the Muslim World For kids.

Once Upon a Time For kids.

UFO's in the Quran Cuz I'm crazy like that!

Healing Body and Soul Wholistic.

The Canadian Housewife -An Affectionate History

I just finished reading this. Its an historical account of housewives in Canada since the 1600's to the 1950's. After that we all know that women started to go to work in droves so I guess that's why it ends there except for me still plodding away in suburbia. They even mention housewives in suburbia too as it was the 1950's when suburbs were first created apparently thanks to the motorcar. This book is quite fascinating and although we know so much of this from our history class and from oral reports from our mothers and grandmothers there are still so many tidbits we never heard tell of. For example did you know that the first woman amongst the filles de roi to get married was a moor? Or did you know that divorce used to be illegal in Canada? If the guy was a jerk you were stuck with him for life! One can only be amazed by the fortitude of these women and what they went through. For most of the women their lives back in Europe were a lot better in every way so it was a great sacrifice for them to come here. But what begs to be asked is what about the lives of the native women? Were they not housewives as well during this time? Not according to Edna Jacques in "Housewives of Yellowknife" p81 which is quoted on page 197 of this book. "To be honest about it, there are no original housewives in this far land, unless you would like to call a native Indian woman at the door of her shack, a housewife." As a woman with native heritage (I'm ojibway) I'm appalled and insulted by this remark as well as the fact that native housewives aside from this quote are never mentioned in this book aside from an Inuit woman being told to give her baby formula. Perhaps there was no written work left behind like the european women had but wasn't there any observations made by europeans either in this regard except negative ones? I'd love to know for example how the Hurons kept their longhouses. Another shocking thing is the way women and children are portrayed in advertising and newspaper columns. On page 207 its says "Most husbands, nowadays, have stopped beating their wives, but what can be more agonizing to a sensitive soul than a man's boredom at meals?" This was in an ad for Heinz Soup! On page 211 Margaret Munnoch in the Toronto Globe and Mail complains about accent pillows for decorating and says " It is too small to fit behind your back, too large to stop the mouths of howling children, too hard to rest on and too bizarre to ignore." Its 2009 and I'd like to say "you've come a long way baby!" but I wonder if that's true? After reading this book though you'll never be able to complain about housekeeping again; we have it so much easier than they did. When was the last time you had to make your own bread, butter and clothing?

December Book Club Pick

I'm still waiting to get a particular book but not having any luck so this month will be another non-islamic, non-muslim author book choice. However it is about Malaysia again. Its called The Rice Mother. The main character is Indian. Its set during the same time period as The Gift of Rain.
Insha Allah next time we will be reading about Malaysia from a malay/muslim point of view.