My Home Away from Home

hi blog!

2011-08-23T16:39:00.002+03:00

I almost forget about this blog! It is pretty dusty in here! I miss my blog and I have had so many bloggable moments in the past two years, but not much time or motivation!

So where to start?

We are still in Canada to hubby's dismay! I am loving it as always ! a big mwaah to Canada! But maybe not for long! We are considering a job in UAE, we will see how it goes when hubby meets with them, and of course if they pay well! All hubby wants is to live in an Arabic country where the kids will learn Arabic! I wonder how much Arabic they will learn in UAE! He wants to send them to an Arabic school there, LOL! I can see poor Ziad going into grade 5 only knowing how to write his name and few small words in Arabic! Sorry hon, not gonna happen!

I can do it for 3 years , which is the length of the project he will be sent for! What I would have never been able to do or tolerate was moving to Saudi (a big scream!!) I do not get how people do it there, I am used to my freedom going out and about without my husband! Lets not go there because well, it is not gonna happen!

A quick Hello...

2009-12-28T02:13:00.004+02:00

I just realized that the last post on my blog is a sad blog....we must change that now...

Hmmmm nothing happy to post about...just normal everyday stuff...

It is winter and yucky...thankfully no snow..the last of it melted yesterday...thank you rain!!

The kids are on vacation and so is hubby!! He has been on vacation (parental leave) for almost 3wks!!! Somebody kill me!! I can not wait for January 4th to come!! My house is in dire need of ta3zeel...the closets are a mess, my laundry room is a mess...I need a break from the 3 of them!

My baby brother just got married a week ago!! When did he grow up?? It was a very nice wedding, everyone had a great time...we danced and danced and danced some more...but I am glad it is all over...it is a lot of work getting ready for a wedding. A dress for me, shoes, makeup blah blah blah.. suites for the boys...the baby looked soo cute in his little suite...adorable! Ziad was the ring boy and has a new girlfriend, the little flower girl.

Tamer will be one next month, he is starting to walk, but still has not mastered it, he still prefers to crawl. He is always yelling out his brothers' names laal, thiaad....he is so cute and we are having so much fun watching him learn new things! He makes my kitchen floor a huge mess though, he takes everything out of the cupboard and throws them on the floor, I clean it all up and he does it over again , and again and again...phew..no wonder I am pooped by the end of the day!

Today hubby and the boys went to the March for Gaza in Toronto. When I mentioned it this morning the boys got all excited. They got their pencil cases, paper, and started drawing the Palestinian flag.They put them on a pole and got ready to go. I had a nice relaxing day home with the baby...aaah..when is Jan 4th coming??

Ha, that wasn't quick, was it ??? The kids are playing with their DSs, the baby is killing the kitchen floor and hubby is watching some movie...I was left alone for few minutes...but not anymore...aaaaaaahhh leave me alone!

Ena Lelah wa Ina Elayhi Raje3oon

2009-10-05T06:03:00.004+03:00

Early this morning my mother in law passed away:o(

She has been in a coma since last Friday, so we kinda of had a week to prepare for this....but you can never be prepared for a loved one dying...

I am just glad my husband went to Amman to see her when we heard the news. Everyone told him to stay put and not to go , it is useless...she is a coma, what is the point...but he got to spend some time with her...see her, touch her, talk to her, kiss her...I am so glad he did not listen and I was able to convince him to leave as soon as we got the news...

I am just so sad that I will never see her again....baby Tamer will never know his teta, and she never got to see Ziad (her favourite grandson) again...Bilal will never really know her, since last time he saw her he was only 3...I wish we were able to go to Amman this past summer...but my husband started a new job in May, and he could not take time off, and I could not travel alone with 3 kids including a little baby...:o(

May she rest in peace inshallah....at least now she will not be in any pain...something that she has lived with constantly for the past few years....Allah yer7amik khalto! :o(

The End of summer...

2009-09-13T19:16:00.004+03:00

My poor poor blog!! I have no time for it....*cleaning the spider webs around*

Speaking of spiders, a spider is take over my porch!! Everyday I go out with a broom and clean his web, the next day I find a bigger one!!! This spider is driving me crazy! He is on the biggish side, brown and he is living between the porch bricks!! He is outside so I feel like a bad person killing him.....u know I have to be a friend of nature..blah blah..

So many bloggable things have happened in the past 2 months since I last posted...

We did so much this summer, lots of visits to Marine land, Ontario place, parks.. etc...

We went to Quebec City for few days, it is always fun going there...it was a 12hrs drive...we had a great time!! now I know why I have to get a van!! My kids fight like crazy while in the car!! I am getting a van in the next couple of weeks!! I am getting the longest van I can find, one of the kids will be at the very end of the van and one in the front...they are currently fighting about who will be in the front and who will be at the back..

My little baby is growing up so fast! He is 8 months now...he has been crawling and cruising for the past two months....I hope he will hold off walking until he is 1...

Three weeks little Tamer got very sick and we had to deal with a 7mara(idiot) ER doctor, and then spent few days at the sick kids hospital in Hamilton...not a very good experience...I will post about this ordeal in another post...he is all better now alhamdoulilah..but his horrible experience changed him from a nice mild baby to a whinny screaming baby!!

We found a family of Mice living in our garage, which prompted us to clean out the garage, and just to be on the safe side cleaning out the basement(there were no mice inside the house) I went through every single box, cleaned it good and got rid of boxes and boxes and garbage bags of stuff we no longer need! I can no longer watch Tom and Jerry! I used to live Jerry , but now Tom is my favourite, bad bad mice!!

I got stung by a bee the other day...I think it was a bee ...it hurt like hell!! I had no idea a little thing's sting can hurt so much...I thought my whole arm was going to fall off!! My finger swelled up,and then my whole arm started to hurt... it was no fun!! We were getting ready to go to Marine Land...I put my stuff in the passenger seat and threw my keys in there..I went to grab my key and something was on them and stung me..I think it was a bee..or maybe the spider that has overtake my porch...I was in so much pain, just flung the thing off my finger without looking at it. I drove to ML because it was the last day before school and the kids were all excited about going there with their cousins...so I could not let a bee sting keep us home...I had to break my fast while driving to take some advil because the pain was too much...:o( I hate bees, or maybe it was a wasp?

Now finally the kids are back to school...Ziad just started grade 3, Bilal will be starting SK next Friday and he is going to preschool two days a week....finally my vacation has started!! I have yelled at the kids so much in the past month, they fight so much!! They fight over everything, a toy can be sitting for months without anyone touching it, the minute one goes to play with it the other wants it!! I am sure I have gotten few white hairs this past month!! O and ziad started with this "I am bored" bit..We go to the park, come back home and within 5 minutes he is bored!! ah it is all over now , I think my new favourite seasons are going to be fall, winter and spring!!

Good morning....

2009-07-05T12:37:00.003+03:00

Ah it is so nice to wake up so early....it is 5:37am now on Sunday morning...and it is so peaceful!!

I can not remember when I heard a big fat nothing except for the sound of the my typing and the ticking clock...with all the chaos in this house I've never noticed the ticking clock...tick tick tick....

This experience would be so much better if my house was not a mess! darn it didn't I tidy up the downstairs rooms before going out for the day yesterday?? How did my kids(and hubby of course) manage to make this small mess??? Crayons and paper on the table...their little Diego and pooh bear chairs are not where they are supposed to be...the sofa cushions are all over the place..the DS's and their cases are both sitting on the sofas and there is a clipboard with a safety scissor sitting on the chair...o and is that hubby's chips bag I see on the table? There are three pennies sitting on the floor...those are Bilal's brown money..why are they not in his piggy bank? Seriously I would love to tidy up this house and have it stay tidy for more than 10 minutes!!

yeh I should definitely do this more often....wake up early...have my morning milk and go to the gym before everyone is up??? I have to switch to a morning person...my kids do not go to bed until 10ish in the summer time.....Bilal will not even put on his PJ's if it is still light outside...and the light starts fading at 9:30...I do not believe I am saying this, but I can not wait for winter when it is dark at 5pm and the kids are in bed by 8:30....but in the summer we are usually hardly ever home before 9...too much to do in the summer months unless it is a rainy day...

I had lots of bloggable stuff happening...but no time to blog...unless I wakeup this early everyday and blog while sipping my morning coffee...:)

hi

2009-06-20T01:10:00.003+03:00

I do not believe I have not blogged for this long...I have had so many bloggable thing to talk about..

The baby is growing like a weed and is becoming mobile *insert screaming face*

Bilal had his tonsils out last week...what a champ...he was up and about within few hours, I know if it was me I would have been a big baby...

The kids are almost done with the school year *insert a screaming face*...I am already planning things for them..they will both go to Arabic school in July...Bilal will stay in preschool 2 afternoons a week for July...what am I going to do in August!!!

We will have to get all our summer fun before Ramadan starts...

Is anyone dreading Ramadan this year?? The day is so long!!!! It is still day time at 9:30pm...

The one good thing is that I will lose weight for sure this year...probably lots of it..yay?

I have also been a bad blog checker...I wonder how everyone is doing?? How is 7aki and the girls, how are Qwaiders doing with the pregnancy..how is Maioush's dad doing? Is Asoom engaged yet? How are Kinzi and mamabeans...miss u guys!

But there is no time to blog..and when I do have time I feel guilty that I am not taking the kids out to play, or have to clean the house..does it ever get messy!! Well we just spent an hour in the backyard playing in the water, I helped Bilal with his Lego's and we had a play date with friends today...Tamer is taking a nap, so I can blog with no guilt...

:o)

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!!!

2009-05-10T15:15:00.022+03:00

Happy mothers day to those who celebrate today!

This morning my kids gave me their presents that they made in school..

Bilal had a hand print with a poem...ok seriously those hand print poems are tear jerkers...they always get to me!

Ziad had a pot, paint ,soil and seeds...we decorated the pot and planted the seeds together...I took over the painting and he got mad though...he had a questionnaire and he said he loves me because I do everything for him and let him eat on the sofa...

And I got a gift card for a manicure, pedicure and a facial at a local spa..now I have to find the time to do this...hmmmmmmmmm...

We will be going to my parent's house later...my mom is making a turkey!! I know who the heck cooks on mothers day?? MY MOM DOES...we were planning on taking her out to dinner but I guess not...this is why I did not get her a pampering present...it seems the older generation does not like to be pampered! My parents are redoing their bathroom, so I got her the bathroom stuff...rugs, curtains, decorations...I hope she likes green!

I guess Tamer's present to me is that he let me type this post...with one hand...thank you Tamer!

It is days like this that I like being a mother...and thank god no breakfast in bed..but one day I know my kids will do it and I will get down to a super messy sticky kitchen.

Well I did get bkfast...*sigh* Ziad poured my favourite special K cereal...great right?? noo there was a big hair in it! now I will not be able to eat my cereal for a week! We are going to make pancakes together...hubby is going to hate it...it is unarabic! We will make him labne, zeet w zaatar with shai on fathers day...Hey he can have that today too for breaskfast since he hates pancakes..yeh I know I have a weird husband!

So big already...

2009-04-20T22:18:00.002+03:00

Slow down baby!! Stop growing so fast...

He is already 3.5mo...a big little baby. It seems like yesterday that he was born.

He is a great baby so far...cooing and smiling most of the time...but when he cries...watch out..he is LOUD!

He sleeps all night long, but he only sleeps when in bed with me..in his crib he sleeps for a max of 5hr...bad baby! I miss tossing and turning in bed freely! He'd better frow out of this soon or I will turn into a stick!

He is teething already...chewing on everything like crazy...i thought i'd have a normal baby this time, but I guess not! Ziad had his first teeth at 4mo...and Bilal has his first teeth at 10mo. I am going to miss those gummy smiles *sniff, sniff*

Well at least he is not a cat...our cat is only 1yo , she is huge and already a mommy to a huge 5mo old kitten...

Traveling with baby...not so easy!

2009-04-13T17:45:00.003+03:00

We have never taken long road trips when our kids were this young. We have taken plane trips when our kids were 3.5mo and up...long road trip when they were at about 10mo.

This weekend we decided instead of staying home on the long weekend, we would go to Montreal. my dear hubby called me on Thursday morning and asked if we felt like going to Montreal's that night...I booked a hotel, it was too late to rent a van, so we took my car... and started packing...four changes of clothes for the older kids, and all like 20 outfits for the baby (babies spit up too much) and other necessities...we wanted to leave that night but decided it is more fun to travel during the day so we left on Friday morning...

Our motto is getting there is half the fun , so we stop whenever we feel like it to get coffee, lunch , snacks...and just walk around..

With a baby you have to stop every 3 hours...at the 3 hrs dot he starts to scream for food...what the hell? So we had to stop a lot more...and sometime we would stop at a place and spend 2hrs there...we feed the baby when we first get there ...then we leave and drive then 1hr later we have to make an emergency stop because he is screaming to eat...no pacifier or singing or anything calms him when he needs food.....and you cant feed him any sooner because he will just spit it all up all over you.....this is why I have to take a lot more clothes for hubby and I...hubby thought it was crazy that I took him 6 shirts for a 2 day stay...now he knows it was not!

It took us a bit over 9hrs to get to Montreal...it usually takes us 6hrs...but it was fun ...we didn't mind it...except for the unexpected stops in the middle of nowhere...

The kids had a good time walking around old Montreal...and we took the horse carriage...it was for $45 for a 20min ride!! When we rode the carriage in Aqaba it was for like 4JD...but the kids loved it and they are still talking about Buddy(the horse) ...we went for lots of walks around the town...it was cold but no body minded it , except now Bilal knows how important his mittens are!

I think I gained 5lb on this trip..I have to make an extra effort to go to the gym daily and to eat well this week...We ate so horrible...too much flafel and shawarma, hamburgers and fries...YUCK! All I am going to eat are veggies this week...I will do what 7aki is doing and make myself baby food...steamed veggies without anything...

Hopefully in few months when we are ready for another road trip ...I think we'll go to PEI next time, the baby will be 5mo and will not need to eat every three hours...or at least able to take a bottle while we are driving...maybe??

OUCHI!!

2009-03-01T00:43:00.003+02:00

I have become a major klutz since giving birth, I keep on dropping things and breaking others...

My latest episode was falling down the stairs...I was rushing down, with the baby in my arms, Bilal annoying me to tie a towel around his waist so he can be a cook ...I slipped and fell...OUCH!!

My poor tailbone is bruised...like I really need any more back pains! grrrr.....it hurts to sit...who would of thougth that sitting can be so painful...

Well I guess it could have been worse...it would have been awful if it happened when I was pregnant..so I guess alhmdoullah for everything..

BUT! I was going to start working out this week....I ditched my old gym and joined a new gym...this gym looks so much nicer...it has a pool...a ladies area and a coed...the best thing is I made hubby join hahaha.....and there is a junior gym so Ziad can workout on cool equipment...a dance pad, a playstation that you play while peddaling a bike..yeh good stuff...and the day care for the kids is huge..so the kids will have plenty to do while I am working out...

I bought the cutest workout outfit, new sneakers, new socks, loaded new song on my MP3, and I was ready to start working out 5x a week...and now I can not ...

I guess I am meant to be fat...waaaaaaahhh...

Six weeks....

2009-02-19T14:18:00.000+02:00

It has been six weeks since the arrival of our new monster...Ok he is not a monster yet, but it is in the works...or maybe I will be lucky this time around? A good baby who becomes a good toddler??

Tamer is an awesome baby....just like his brothers used to be.

He sleeps few hours during the day....about 6-7hrs at night then wakes up to eat and then goes back to sleep...(I wish I could go back to sleep...but sleeping from 6-8 is the worst..I wake up msatli..) .He only cries when I take too long to fix his bottle, or when he is gassy or sleepy and one of the monsters won't let him sleep because he is so loud...and he is so freakin' cute mashallah!! I can not stop looking at him and holding his tiny teeny hands....I like to hold my babies and do not believe in the spoiling them thing...they are only so small for such a little time...I want to enjoy it...

Now that the baby is here, and the six weeks resting is up , it is time to get into shape!

I am happy to say that I gained 20lb with this baby...14lb are gone and I am left with 6lb to lose...I have been wearing my pre pregnancy clothes since 1 week after giving birth.....even the jeans after getting out of the dryer!! It is nice because with my other pregnancies I had to go out shopping for bigger clothes and did not see my pre pregnancy clothes for a good eight months...

It is time to get back into shape...because yeh I am so out of shape...your body changes a lot during pregnancy...I need to lose lots of inches here and there and get my old shape back..

Exercising is proving to be hard with a new born and a 4yo around! I get Bilal busy with a project, some arts and crafts, or his favourite DVD or a show on demand..and get dressed for my workout...well the minute he sees me working out he decides that I am and the baby are more interesting and he is either in my way, or he is waking his brother up...I will have to restart my gym membership sooner than I thought!

During my pregnancy I lost my appetite...but it seems that the minute the baby popped out my appetite made a grand return! I have been eating like a crazy horse in the past six weeks! My love for chocolate is back!!

I just realized I have not posted in over a month....and it is almost my blog's second bday...I do not have much time anymore...maybe this blog was only meant to live for two years...

Welcome to the world baby....

2009-01-13T17:52:00.003+02:00

I feel bad sharing my good news when everyone is upset and angry about what is going on in Gaza...but I did share all my pregnancy up and downs on here..so here goes..

He was born on January 07...one whole week before his due date...you can imagine our surprise since we were sure he will come late just like his brothers..but noooo he had other plans...good thing our cell phones were recharged on that night...and my car filled up with gas...

Everything I have feared about his birth happened...

I was afraid of going into labour on my own for many reasons and was hoping that the doctor would induce labour on the 14th of January...I wanted to be ready, house clean, fridge stocked up, I was worried about going into labour and not knowing it, and I wanted to make sure there is no storm, be at the hospital when it is time to get an epidural, drive my kids to my parent's house in Hamilton and make sure they get there safely...

Well none of this happened...On Monday and Tuesday I was busy going out to get my shopping done, coming home I was too tired to clean my house..so my house was not perfect and tidy...

On Tuesday night I went into labour on my own!!

I went into labour on my own and was not sure I was in labour! At 8pm it started snowing and was supposed to get worse with freezing rain, at 9:30pm I started getting noticeable contractions, they were 11min to 5 min apart then all of the sudden got down to 2min apart.....everyone keeps on telling me when you are in labour you will know ...labour contractions are painful...well I was not in that much pain...some of them I hardly felt and others just needed an aw aw aw....

We decided to head to the hospital, I was sure we will be sent back home...but because of the snow storm they usually keep you there even if in early labour which is what I thought I was in.....so at 12:30am we got the kids up, got our bags in the car, cleared the snow off the car and left ...hubby was to drive me to the hospital which is in town and only 5min away and drive the kids to my parents house which is a 45min drive away, if it was a false alarm we would go pick them up in the morning..but it is better safe than sorry in this weather...

As much as I hate snow, I am glad it was snowing and stormy on Tuesday night...otherwise I would have decided to stay home and wait for painful can not talk, can not breath feel like you are going to die contractions to come.....if I did that I would have had the baby at home! I went to the hospital saying I think I am in labour...well it turned out I was in labour..and not in early labour but in advanced labour...too late for an epidural!! OMG you should have seen me....I was in shock...I needed that epidural...I am too much of a chicken! well too bad for me....

1.5 hrs after getting to the hospital little Tamer was born at 2:04 am...hubby missed the whole thing...it was just me, the doctor and the two nurses...it was pretty cozy actually...the baby was born before hubby even made it to Hamilton, when he got back to Milton the baby and I were ready to head to our room...

We just decided on a name last night...I wanted Omar...hubby wanted Mustafa...then we were watching Aljazeera and there is a reporter named Tamer and we both liked the name..so Tamer it is ...it is not for sure yet, since we have not even started his registration papers...as soon as those are sent the name sticks...

He is a good baby so far, as long as he gets enough food he sleeps well during the day and night...and he is soo adorable!!!

Yay January is here...Happy new year!!

2009-01-01T09:55:00.002+02:00

I spent my new year sleeping this year....I chose to clean my house and ring in the new year with a nice neat clutter less house instead of going out and partying. Who wants to go out when you have a huge belly ahead of you?? So when 12 am hit I was sound asleep in bed beside my two cute little monsters....we had PJ party in my room...we watched a movie, ate some popcorn and fell asleep by 10pm....Happy new year!!

I hope 2009 is a good year for everyone..I know 2008 was not too kind to many of us!

My newest little monster will be born in 11 days inshallah....max 14 or 15 days if he is as lazy as my other two and has to be induced out...which is very fine with me...I have never gone into labour on my own and would rather not start now...not in the middle of January in stormy Canada...

I am just so happy he did not decide to come in December...the last thing I need is another kid yelling at me because he is the youngest in class...everyday we have the same old argument...if I change my birthday to July will that make me not the youngest...how about February..can we have a birthday party for me in February...why did you not eat my baby seed so I am not born in November...blah blah blah..You can not change your birthday damn it! I wish you could...I'd have my birthday in July so there are no storms on my bday, and I would have it 10 years later....

so yeh...wishing you all a happy new year.....

wearing black for Gaza...

2008-12-29T17:42:00.005+02:00

My heart cries out for the people in Gaza...:'( Inshallah allah yefregha 3aleehom and yensorhom

Allah yer7am our Martyrs and ysaber their families...

Mall madness...

2008-12-23T17:09:00.006+02:00

I have made a vow not to even drive on streets that have a mall on them...it is crazy out there!!

Yesterday the kids and I decided it will be fun to mall walk...since I have put my gym membership on hold..and it is too cold and too slippery to walk outside...mall walking would be a good alternative...yeh right!!

We were in Burlington and decided we will go to the mall in Mississauga...the highway was too busy so we took the long way to get to Mississauga...thirty minutes later we are at the mall...but alas...there is no parking! I always part on the same side of the mall....and that parking is usually not that busy...but yesterday it was full.....we went all around the mall trying to find a small tiny spot for our car...no way...and then we thought if the parking lot is this full...it will be even more crazy inside so we went home...but our trip was not for nothing...there is an Arabic store close the mall , and we are out of pita bread...so our trip to Mississauga was not for nothing...

I guess we will start mall walking on the 27th...when malls are back to normal...why do people wait until the last minute to start shopping?? I guess it was pretty bad around eid in Amman as well eh?? It has been a year so I can not remember now...I will mark my calendar for next year to avoid going to the mall and other shopping centers from December 20-27!

when a stupid idea hits...just shoot me!

2008-12-18T07:59:00.002+02:00

Yesterday was a busy day for me...go for a doctor's appointment, go shopping for few last minute items, get together with a friend we met at the store for coffee, take Bilal to school, got my nails done, and then off to the gym for a quick workout....

When I got home I got this stupid idea....hey it will be fun to shovel the snow...FUN?? shovel snow? FUN? what was I thinking?

So Bilal changed into his snow suite, snow mittens, snow boots and we got our big and small shovels out and got to work! I was shovelling the snow off the driveway (which was not too bad because hubby's car was parked there last night so it was not fully cover..but still), throwing it on the grass...and Bilal shoveling the snow from the grass on the driveway...not very help eh?

He was a lot smarter than I was...his mitten fell, he ate some snow, he got cold so he went inside...

I on the other hand stayed outside...shovelled the drive way...the path leading to the house from the driveway, the porch, the steps on the other side of the house...and one of the sidewalks...a nice guy shovelled the other side in the morning...(we live on a corner lot so lots of sidewalks to clear)..

My back was hurting, but I could not stop...it is such as achievement to see the snow gone off the sidewalk ...so I kept on going and going and going....I have been getting too many braxton hicks all evening, and I feel yucky...I hate snow!

Seriously what is wrong with me? I am 8.5 months pregnant...with a very sore back and I do not want this baby to come any earlier than Jan 11th.....hey maybe he can even come on my bday...my friends promised they will bring me a cake to the hospital if they baby comes on the 15th...If wanted to have fun outside why couldn't I just make a snow man with Bilal??

fa la la la la laa laaaaaaaaaaaa

2008-12-14T12:24:00.002+02:00

Why is this song always on my mind! I hate it...

Anyways I have nothing to blog about...unless you want to hear about how ya haram poor me can not sleep much...how it is hard to get comfy on any position while sleeping...why isn't there anything on good on TV at 4 am?? Not on Arabic or cable..*sigh*

This is the last week before Christmas break...the last week I can go to the gym without having to leave hubby and the kids home making a mess...I have to do all my shopping this week including finding shoes that are cute but not too high heeled to wear next week....off to the outlet mall I go on Tuesday, it is my only hope! or else I will have to borrow my mom's shoes...I am a size 7 and she is a 9...so not happening! I just realized that I have no low healed shoes...other than sneakers and very casual stuff..but I can not wear those to a party can I...I am only 5'1.5 so of course I only have the highest heals they make when it comes to dress shoes...*sigh* there were all those cute dressy flip floppy type shoes all over the mall all summer long..I wish I knew I would be needing one of those in December...o well...do not fret..I am sure will find something at Dixie mall!

OK back to fa la la laaaaaaa la laaaaaaaaaaaa and back to my not so comfy bed to get few more hours of much needed sleep..

5am ramblings...

2008-12-01T12:00:00.003+02:00

Why am I up at 5 am you ask?? NO I am not a morning person and I would rather be in bed, sleeping...I am so sick of this pregnancy induced insomnia...but seriously how can one sleep when your belly is few inches ahead of you and you have little hands and feet squirming all over the place?? Braxton hicks can you find a better time to hit?? Getting up few times to go the bathroom does not help either!

So here I am...watching TV...I accidentally ruined my satellite receiver...it asked if I wanted to download the new software and I accidentally pushed yes! So now I need a new pin # and I do not know how to do it!! So tomorrow I will send the receiver with hubby to take to his friend to fix..and I will have to admit that I did it...I ruined it! darned sw download! I was looking forward to watching some Arabic TV quietly..without the annoyance of my kids or hubby wanting to watch something else...o well I guess watching everybody loves Raymond is just as good...

Six more weeks to go, I am not sure how I feel about having a third little one around. My older two are driving me crazy! Ziad talks none stop, I never knew someone could talk so much!! One topic after the other...drives me crazy!! Bilal keeps on doing annoying things..and when you tell him to stop he thinks it is funny and keeps on doing it while looking at you to see how annoyed he can make you! I have learned to ignore him ..but sometimes it is hard to ignore...when will this stage be over?? I hate the terrible 4's! Who ever said the 2's were terrible had not experienced the 4's!!

Since I am on a complaining streak let me throw few other pregnancy related complaints...

I have already rambled about insomnia...it still sucks few paragraphs later...

putting on socks has become a chore!! It is hard to get to your feet when your belly stretches few inches ahead of you!

Going on the cross trainer at the gym is starting to get more and more uncomfortable...my thighs keep on hitting my stomach...the bike which I never liked anyways but used it for change sometimes has been out for few months due to this...so I guess soon it will be the boring treadmill for me...

Pregnancy brains!! I keep on forgetting things I have done not too long ago..did I put sugar in my coffee yet or not? Losing my keys, going upstairs few times to get something and forgetting what I am there for, and few other things...

Brothers and their SOs!

2008-11-19T17:28:00.003+02:00

My baby brother's engagement party will be at the December....O great..I even suggested they do it on new year's eve...so we do not have to think about where to go...and I am so happy for him...his little fiance is so adorable....We know the family since she was 4 yo....and she is my brother in law's cousin...a sweet girl..

But people at the end of December I will be as big as an elephant if not bigger!! Two weeks before my due date I will not look or feel pretty at all! So now I have to shop for a dress that will fit a huge belly that has a 7lb+ baby in it...This is a huge motivation for me to hit the gym more often...I will make to 4 days instead of 3....I can not help the belly part..it has to grow no matter what I do...but at least I can have nice arms and legs...and I have to lay off the sodium...which is no biggi since I am not a salty foods fan...phew!

Then what if , just what if dancing and dabking makes me go into an early labour!! I do not want to have my baby early...and I am terrified of going into labour on my own....how scary would that be?? I like being induced...contractions start when I am already sitting in the hospital bed, connected to all the wires...and have the epidural dude close by! But I love dancing...even a huge belly will not prevent me from hitting the dance floor!

I think I will go to the mall this week and find a dress like the one on top...and no more cheese cake for me!

Ramblings.........

2008-11-18T11:24:00.002+02:00

I have not had a chance to post in so long...I have been busy...and when I am not busy and just sitting there watching TV my laptop is being hogged by a little four year old..he is either playing games on treehouse TV or learning to read on starfall or looking at car websites...he can get into Honda, jeep, ford and kia on his own...the rest he still can not spell right...

Winter is officially here...there is a snow in the forecast for tomorrow...I am not ready for snow yet.......:o(

Why is it when you are pregnant you get insomnia?? Is it to get us used to the baby waking up at night...I have no reason to be up at 3:30 am...my kids are sound asleep....my husband is in bed and not snoring tonight...so why am I not snoozing??

I got my hair cut yesterday....I think I like my new hair cut...but I will not know for sure until I wash my hair and have to style it myself...Allah yestor..I do already feel too fat; I do not need to feel ugly with bad hair as well! It was getting too long and annoying the heck out of me though, so I guess it won't be much worse eh?

Bad news!!My GPS has been stolen right out of my car! I feel so violated! I still have to go report it....I feel so guilty for forgetting to lock my car....it seems like everyone in the area has had their GPS stolen these days...I knew the warnings...everyday I read on the HV forum that someone's car was broken into...but I still forgot to lock mine...or I should just start parking it in the garage...SOBs...allah ykaser edeehom!

Tomorrow Ziad has is doing a presentation on Jordan...we got his posters all ready with pictures and stuff...I hope he remember to talk slow an clear and not get too excited and talk too fast...He gets to excited about presenting...They have a presentation about different topics every month...I used to be nervous and stress about presentations for days back in high school...now I see why the others did not seem so concerned and stressed out...if they have been doing presentations since they were in grade 1...their presentation experience had topped mine by 7 yrs or more! Now at my old age it is no biggie...

I guess this is enough rambling for tonight...or this morning I guess...

Happy birthday Zozo...

2008-11-08T18:10:00.004+02:00

My baby turns the big 7 today......

*sniff* where did the time go?? It feels like yesterday that we brought him home!

We are having party at an indoor playground ....with few friends and family....it should be fun:)

so tired...

2008-11-08T18:03:00.002+02:00

ah so tired and too busy to complain about it on my blog...but the next rainy cold day we have that I would rather stay home and keep warm, I will be blogging about it all....hopefully I will not have a doctor apt or something else that I must go to ..I just want to sit at home, and watch a movie eat popcorn and maybe some of that halloween candy hiding in the closet, while the kids are at school and before the baby comes....is that too much to ask for?

stupid spam!!

2008-11-02T21:01:00.002+02:00

I just wasted a whole freakin hour deleting this loser's spam! Damn him/her!

Baby name woes!

2008-10-07T16:05:00.003+03:00

I am glad we are not having a girl! We would have never agreed to a name...hubby hates cutesy names and I love them...after so many years of marriage you start realizing your difference in so many ways...I wish there was a thorough check list pre marriage...but when you are going out and engaged you do not know the other person's parenting style and o so many things...but I guess no two people are going to agree on everything 100%...and baby names is one of those things....

When I got pregnant with Ziad his name was decided on the same day I did the pregnancy test...hubby wanted to name the baby after his brother who passed away 23years ago...and his story was very touching to me that I had no problems with the name..it is a cute name...and ziad does love his name! during that pregnancy we could not agree on a girl name...if ziad was a girl he would still be without a name!

With Bilal I picked the name...hubby was not crazy about the name but got used to it..I used the you picked Zozo's name , it is my turn now....and it worked....and Bilal's name suits him and he does love his name too...all day long he spells it out...B-I-L-A-L BILAL...and his name is written all over books, notebooks, sheets of paper, a wall, a table...

Well now with baby boy #3....I want to name the baby Omar....I like the name...hubby likes it too..with one problem! Leave it to hubby to come up with this one! He will only agree to the name if the boys can say 30mar and not Omar! So the boys have three months to perfect the letter 3...sometimes they get it right but mostly it is an O sound....I tell him that by naming their brother Omar they will have get enough practice using the letter and perfect it...

So far he has not come up with an alternatives...MEN!

brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

2008-10-05T03:12:00.003+03:00

It is getting cold here...not heavy jacket cold...but I have to put away my short sleeve shirt, Capri's and tank tops...and get out my fall clothes..

Hubby and I have been debating turning the furnace on or wait....it just feels silly turning it on in early October no???

After a winter in Amman though I can take all the cold in the world....Why is it that when the temperature is in the single digits in Canada I am able to just wear a regular PJ and not freeze, while in Amman at the same temperature I was freezing and could see my breath when going to a room that didn't have a soba and I was dressed with few layers of clothes...weird eh?

I guess this is it...summer is really gone..I have been in denial still wearing my sandals but yesterday my feet froze and made me crampy so I had to go and put my boots on...waaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh and yesterday I switched the clothes in my closet..the long sleeves went into the easily accessible area, the sweaters right behind them..and all my cute summer clothes went into the harder to reach side of my walk in closet....although I do not see the point of this, none of those clothes fit or they will not fit for long....the good news is that I will be going shopping next week while the kids are in school, so I am not too sad...who wants to wear last winter`s clothes anyways.....

Mabrook..........

2008-10-03T16:37:00.002+03:00

Today is hubby's niece's wedding....I am so sad that we can not be there....but who gets married in October...grrrrrrrrrrrrr......it is all hubby's fault! They wanted to take it slow..get to know each other better and all...but noooooooooo he pushed them to hurry up and do the fate7a and then kateb ktab..why wait he said...well if they waited a bit the wedding would have been in the summer and we would have been able to attend...my husband and his big mouth!!

Anyways, I am so happy for them...I hope they have/are having a great wedding day and a great life together!

I wish we were there...but for so many reasons we can not go to Amman now...first the kid's school ,my growing belly, and hubby's work...(he barley worked in Ramadan it is a miracle he was not fired!) so now he has a lot of work to catch up on....

And seriously have you seen maternity formal wear?? Not very nice..although I think my brother will force me to go shopping for a formal dress when I am 8 months pregnant! I think I am going to hate my brother and his future wife when I am looking at their engagement party pictures!! But if I keep on going to the gym, and not gain more than 10more lb I think I will not hate them so much...

Eid Mubarak!

2008-09-30T17:20:00.002+03:00

Well to everyone except us!!

Eid is not until tomorrow here , but well it is kinda at our house! Hubby stopped fasting and he is off work.....the kids are in school though...we will do the actual celebration tomorrow with everyone else....

Bye bye summer..

2008-09-11T20:57:00.004+03:00

As the temperature starts to dip into the early early twenties and teens we have to face it, summer is almost gone! It is going to be sad farewell...but it is a cycle and we have to accept it....Fall is not a bad season...so we are not shedding any tears yet...autumn does have it own fun and spirit...

We did have a great summer with great memories...we did a lot with the kids...from trips to amusement parks in the area....walks to a local park with friends, bbquing at the park with friends and family, going to the many beaches in the area...

Summer in Ontario sure beats summer anywhere else(saskatoon uggh)....there are so many things we did not scratch off our list, we didn't even have time to get away...this is the first summer we do not go on a vacation out of the country or at least out of the province...but we manage to have a fun filled summer full of action...

My sister is on maternity leave so we got to take the kids places sans husbands....which was fun...

I took the kids to Toronto to see the CN tower...ziad is now obsessed with Toronto and the CN tower...we parked our car at the GO station and took to the bus to Toronto...we had walked around, had lunch and finally went to the tower...we had to wait for 1.5hr to get up! It was Monday for god's sake! I can not even imagine how it would have been if we went on the weekend...but we could not turn back, Ziad would not hear of it....thankfully in the line just in front of there were three Egyptian guys and they kept the kids entertained and chased after bilal when he decided it will be funny to run off...

The kids favourite place to go to was Niagara Falls and Marine Land...we got a seasons pass and we went few times with friend and other times just the four of us...I could not go on any of the rides...I did not want to risk harming the little guy inside of me....but the kids loved it there...they enjoyed the whales and dolphins shows...petting and feeding the deer ....it was great fun!

There are few things we wanted to do still before the weather gets colder...but with Ramadan hubby is useless....I feel bad about next summer, the kids will miss out on a lot of fun things to do! I wish Ramadan had a set month and that month was a winter month...but o well...we will manage to make it a fun summer inshallah....

So goodbye summer...you were a good summer this year..we will miss you...! Lets hope this winter will be not be a snow and storms filled winter....especially around the mid January...

Thing not to say to a pregnant woman...

2008-09-07T17:59:00.003+03:00

- WOW u've gained soo much weight..you are going to be huge

- you are losing weight, are you on a diet??

- WOW , r you sure there is only one in there?? maybe the second one is hiding..

- What? You are in your 6th month?? you barley look pregnant...

- O you are pregnant??

- Eat some more, you are eating for two don't starve the baby...

- Are you sure it is ok to eat that??

- Drink some juice or milk instead...Puleaaaaaaaaase...a cup of coffee is not going to harm the baby!

Just do not say anything about how a pregnant lady looks, eats, or drink......talk about politics, the weather ... fasting, the mosalsalat..or just talk about the annoying people you know!

Hubby and fasting....

2008-09-03T16:24:00.004+03:00

I used to love and enjoy Ramadan, but not so much anymore!!

My husband is a smoker (eww) and a coffee guzzler....for the first few year of our marriage he did not fast....I kept on encouraging him to fast...and for the past few years he has been fasting...WHAT HAVE I DONE??

You would think he is the only person that fasts in the world...we have not had a bomb blowing for no reason because he is dying for a smoke lately....he is actually in a good mood...but he complains so much!! All day...he calls me from work at home or on my cell..when he gets home, when he wakes up from his nap, at 4 am when I am in the middle of a dream at 6 am before he leaves to work....is it October yet?

He does not get much sleep because he has to wake for su7oor...not to eat mind you...he might eat bit of food but not much...he drinks coffee and smokes...then he leaves to work at 6am...(YIPPY) but he is home at 3pm (ugggghhhhhhhhh)...he goes up to the bedroom , puts the door knob thingie on the door so Bolbol will not go in to tell him to waaate uuupppp.....Ziad is making him a "do not disturb sign".

..then he wakes up an hour before iftar and he wonders why the kitchen is a mess?? hmmmmmm I am in the middle of cooking...go away...yesterday he wanted to help clean up the kitchen....and was in my way and annoying the heck out of me..I finally reminded him of his flowers that need watering and he was out of my hair...phew!

A bit before Iftar he goes to Tim Hortons and gets and extra large cup of coffee to drink after he eats....coffee makes him stay up....so he does not go to bed until late..so he is only getting few hours of sleep before he is up for so7oor...and of course him not sleeping at night = me not getting much sleep...I am so tired already from lack of sleep...I will use that "do not disturb sign" on my door from now on...or make a no talking sign in the bedroom...or go hide somewhere and sleep where no chatty husband will come wake me up....

I am not fasting this Ramadan...I am pregnant...I have very little appetite and eating very little as it is, everyone is saying I have lost weight..although my scale is 6lb up from what it was back in April...so fasting is not good for me...I get nauseous and light headed when I do not eat for more than 3hrs...and I still feel guilty for fasting when my son was three months old and my milk supply dried up...ok formula made him much fatter than my milk would have ever done...and he is still pretty smart ..but still! So people leave me alone...I do not care if you are also pregnant and fasting...to each his own...I do not need your lectures....!

Ziad is fasting this Ramadan....soom el3asfoora as his teetah calls it....he comes from school at 4:00, eats a sandwich , a glass of milk, some fruits and drinks water...that is his su7oor and he fasts until iftar time...he gets so hungry and o so thirsty..his throat hurts, his tummy hurts...and he is so tired or so he claims..but the minute the neighbours kids are outside playing he feels all better and ready to go out....and the minute we say ok iftar time..he jumps to his food like he has not eaten for days!!

O and Ramadan Mubarak to everyone....I hope everyone is coping well with the long fasting hours.....

back to school ....YIPPY!

2008-08-29T21:55:00.002+03:00

Phew...it is finally time!!! We had a fun summer with the kids and did lots of activities from going to theme parks in the area to just good ol' family picnics with friends and family....but now it time for my house and me to take a break from the kids....well at least one kid!!

Ziad starts grade 2...*sniff, sniff..my baby is growing up* and bilal will be going to junior kindergarten *double sniff, sniff*

yay I get my freedom back...I can go shopping peacefully....I can visit my friends without yelling at this kid and that kid to behave...and I can go for peaceful walks all by myself....o and I can go to the gym when I please during the day without having to worry that the day care at the gym is open or not....ah the freedom!! 2-3 day a week I will have 7 hours all to myself!!! o well until mid January that is!:o(

Yay!

2008-08-29T21:46:00.000+03:00

a sad goodbye..

2008-08-14T07:07:00.002+03:00

It is official...after almost 19wks of being pregnant I have to say goodbye to my prepregnancy jeans!! They no longer button up comfortably over my expanding belly!!

Goodbye dear jeans , and other pants holding a size 6 and 4 tags....I hope to wear you shortly after January...Maybe...just maybe we will be together again by March or April or maybe june of 2009....no later....I promise!! For now I will hang you in the back of my closet to make room for my not as nice but comfy maternity jeans...so long!! I will miss you! *sniff, sniff*

dreams...a pregnancy post..enter at own risk...

2008-08-14T06:34:00.004+03:00

When your are pregnant you have weird dreams right?? Well few night ago I had a dream about the baby...it was so weird...I am looking forward to my ultra sound to find out what the baby is so I can start shopping..This is my third baby but I have no baby clothes at all....my sister will be giving me her kid's clothes...which is ok..but I do not want my baby to have all hand me downs...so I am so excited about buying baby clothes...I really do not care if I buy pink or blue..I just want a healthy baby who is cute and a good baby...

Ok back to my dream...In my dream I moved the baby's clothes and saw that it was a boy...and I said to hubby why did we have to wait for the ultra sound..I could have just taken the baby's clothes off to find out what the baby is....isn't that so weird??? I wish it was that easy...There are lots more than clothing that have to be removed to see the baby now....Ok one more week and we will know..if the baby cooperates...so far both my kids we very cooperative and not shy at all to show their stuff, they still aren't...

I can not wait until the 19th to find out...and to see if everything is ok with the little guy/gal...

You know what is so annoying?? Braxton hicks contractions!! One minute you are minding your own business and the next you feel your belly is contracting and becoming a hard ball! At this rate this baby will come on it's own with no need to induce...:o/ I hope not!! It is so embarrassing but I have never gone into labour on my own...so I am terrified of it happening now!

no chocolates!

2008-08-09T17:08:00.003+03:00

For the first time ever since I can remember I am completely chocolate free!!

I can not remember the last time I had a chocolate bar or even a tiny piece of chocolates...(ewwwwwwwwwwww)

I love this baby...he/she is making me hate sweets....give me salty or 7amed stuff...but sweets no thanks!!

Now with this no chocolates/cakes and other fattening stuff and going to the gym 3x a week I have not gained any weight yet and I am already in my 5th mo of pregnancy...YIPPY! and no body can make me feel guilty...I have been eating healthy three meals and healthy snacks like veggies...mostly baby carrots.., and fruits that are not too sweet like red rasberries ...YUMMMY!

The thing that I want to eat lots of are lemons! YUM!

Must it is girl this time eh?....she is already watching her weight so making me not eat bad stuff!!

when people disappoint you...

2008-07-27T05:39:00.005+03:00

You know some one for 10 years and then you realize you didn't know

You are always telling you husband to be more like this person...

You think his wife is so lucky to have a husband like him..

You think what a great job his parents did raising him...

Then you realize that this person has a pea for a brain, the temper of a 7mar, and the manners of a beast!

I am very very disappointed!! And very grateful for my husband...at least he has enough brains to not let other things in his life make him lose his temper and treat people bad over silly and stupid stuff......OK he can be super annoying and drives me crazy at times...but will never be rude to anyone for a very very stupid reason!

I will never ever ever...tell my husband I wish he was more like someone else...NEVER...he is perfect the way he is...and if our biggest fight is because I am letting the kids watch too much English TV some days, then life is good alhamdoullah!!

Rain Rain go away...

2008-07-23T22:00:00.003+03:00

Come again at night when I am sleeping and do not care about going outdoor...

This summer it has rained so much...I am loving the rain because my grass is looking nice and green! Last year it was a sad shade of yellow ....

I love it when it rains while I am in bed, laying there and listening to the rain is peaceful...but I hate it when it rain during the day!

This past weekend was bolbol's birthday...we had a party at a farm..alhamdoullah it was nice and clear when we were doing the outdoor stuff...but the minute we got in to eat the cupcakes and stuff it poured....after the farm we were supposed to take all the kids to a park for pizza and cake for everyone and there is a splash pad...instead we had to go to my house and finish the party there...with 12 kids between the age of 1.5 and 7 running all over the place and 14 adults..it was a very noisy day...but none the less it was fun..and surprisingly my house was not a total mess..everyone was helpful so the kitchen was left clean and miraculously the playroom is not a total disaster...you can still see some of the floor...

On Sunday we were supposed to go to Marine land with our friends...well we woke up to the rain and it rained most if the day so we cancelled it...inshallah next Sunday will be nice..

Today I want to go out and buy few items, but it is raining again....it rained most of the afternoon yesterday and most of the night...our water level is getting high!

Ok alhamdoullah for the rain...I guess it is better than dry weather and it is making the weather nicer..so now we are not boiling hot....and like I said before my grass is so green and lush..of course hubby is loving it because his new "garden" in the backyard where he planted tomatoes, pepper and few other veggies along with few beds of flowers and 5 trees are getting more than enough water alhamdoullah...

O did mention that those rain falls are accompanied by sever thunder storms?? I do not remember hearing as much thunder as I did this summer..weird! I have a mild to sever case of thunder phobia...so it not fun...I am making both kids sleep in my room..you know so they won't be scared ...and what if the lights go off?

huh...I think the sun just came out...YIPPY!

Humans are so hard to please!!

2008-07-17T00:40:00.005+03:00

seriously I wonder how Allah puts up with us!!!

In winter we complain that it is too cold. In the summer we complain about how hot it is!

Some people have curly hair, the complain and wish for straight hair...other have straight hair and would love for curly hair..

Some people are very slim and would kill for some curves, others are curvy and work day and night to lose their curves..

Some people live in Canada, after having to struggle with a wathika(travel document) all their lives...but yet they complain non stop damn it! and want to move back to the Mideast...(i call those people dumbos..AKA my hubby)...while others are living in the middle east and would do anything to come to Canada...one time I was in Lebanon and my cousin's friends gave me their pictures to find them a bride to bring them to Canada...it doesn't matter if she is old and ugly the said...and do you know how many marriage proposals we got last time we were in Lebanon?? I was already engaged for god's sake and my sister was only 14!

Some people try to get pregnant for years..and others cry and throw a fit when they get a positive pregnancy test because they did not want to get pregnant.....

more to come...but right now I am in too much pain....

human

2008-07-17T00:40:00.001+03:00

nothing to blog about

2008-07-04T22:46:00.003+03:00

I do not feel like blogging anymore...what is wrong with me?? I always had a million things I wanted to write about. I wrote about everything I did and thought..but now I can not think of any bloggable stuff...I thought about blogging about our weekend outings, and about hubby pretending to be sick so he wont go to work, but I keep on thinking no one cares , so what is the point...

Or maybe it is because it is summer, and I have alot other things to do ...going for walks, to the park, out with friends or just working on the yard...and I do not have snow to complain about it...I do have to vent about the bees and the wasps that are making my windows into their homes! or about how my arms and back are getting tanned but my legs are still white and pale! I am sick of using tanning cream on them..and forget about if going to the beach!

If anyone is wondering how I am doing pregnancy wise....(I know now cares) but I am doing well...actually I can not wait until next wed when I have my ultra sound so I can be sure there is a baby in there! (like throwing up for the first time last week does not prove it)..speaking of throwing up, I do not do it much..and this pregnancy I threw up once..Ziad was very amused and told everyone we met at the grocery store next day! how embarrassing! I am still not showing and can still fit into my regular jeans! I spent $60 on maternity Capri's I want to get some use out of them darn it! I hope I will be able to tell what the baby is next week......I think they should be able to know by 13wks no?

I just found out a week ago that I am not invited to a wedding...I do not why I am pissed off! I guess since I got a baby sitter to get used to the kids just because of this wedding in particular! I thought since they came to my wedding and the whole family came I would be invited to theirs...but I guess not! but it is OK I guess! It saves me $100...now what can I buy with that money that I just saved...hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm....anyways, they are so not invited to Ziad and Bilal`s weddings!

so much for nothing to blog about...I just had to get going eh..(my question mark button is not working..I can not figure out what I pressed to make another character appear..this one É...stupid É)

my laptop is back and other blah blahs

2008-06-27T20:00:00.002+03:00

yay I got my laptop back..actually I got it back on the day I posted the post below! I have been too busy (sick) to post about it! I got a new keyboard! I guess they noticed that my keyboard had come apart thanks to the little hands of Mr Bilal! For a while when we were in Amman his hobby was to take they keys out...once time he took every single one out and I had to put them back...ah what an ordeal! Well they replaced that keyboard and put a new board inside...and my wireless is working again! No more stealing hubby's wireless device! YIPPY!

In other news during the morning rush hour there was a baby born on the highway!! Poor mother! How embarrassing! I guess they were on their way to the hospital they got stuck in the DVP traffic..This is why I like being induced! I like waking up in the morning taking a shower, doing my hair and makeup (I wanna meet my new baby in style) then getting the kids ready and taking them to my parent's house, spending sometime with my family and then coming back home...making sure my hospital bag is ready to go and this time I WILL TAKE A NAP! Newborn babies do not sleep much, and our hospitals keep the babies in the room with us, so you do not get to sleep much!

Yesterday was Ziad's last day of school! The end of my happiness! But not to fear next week he starts Arabic school. It is only from 9-12 , which means I have to get up early and drive him to school, then drive Bilal to preschool...but no biggie it just means no lazing around in the morning. After the kids are dropped off, I can go to the gym for 1hr and run errands with the other 2hr...o well it is better than nothing! Ziad will have 1hr of tutoring in the afternoons...two days of soccer, and we can go to the farms and neighbouring parks! We also have a season pass to MarineLand, but we can only go when hubby is not working....

Life without my laptop!

2008-06-18T20:56:00.002+03:00

I feel so lost without my beloved laptop! It tells me the weather every morning, I keep in touch with my friends, I keep up with what is going on in the world, and I use it as an organizer...

I finally sent my computer in for repairs...it took me two months to part with it and it has been ten long days without my baby!

In those ten days I have missed two doctor's apt, I finally had my prenatal apt today after the doctor's office calling me twice to ask why I did not make it to my apts.

I let poor Zozo go to school in shorts and a tank top yesterday when it was only 14 degrees and raining all day! It is a good thing he at least had his pullover! I did it because I did not go to my laptop sitting conveniently in the family room and see how the weather was on my desktop!

I forgot that I had to book my ultra sound between June 23 and July 9th. The doctor reminded me today and I booked it! Yay I got a spot on July 9th! The only problem is that it will be at 8 am!! I so not a morning person and the drive the Mississauga will be hell at that time of the day..no matter what route I take! So to make the 20 min drive max I have to leave my house at 7am!

Without my laptop I have to come down the basement and use hubby's old computer! I hate our basement , it is still not finished yet and hubby's computer is annoying! I just do a quick email check and go back upstairs where it is nice and pretty!

waaaahhhhhhh I want my laptop back! Annoying HP the girl I spoke with said it will take 7 days! Every time I see a UPS truck I think maybe my laptop is with him, but he passes our house...*sigh* so frustrating!

summer food

2008-06-06T17:36:00.002+03:00

I love summer...not just because I get to go outside without shivering and I get to wear cute summer clothes...or because we can go play outside all we want and everything looks so green and pretty...but because there is so much more variety in fruits at the grocery store! In winter all I can get is apples, oranges, grapes , kiwi and not too yummy strawberries that cost too much! In summer I can still get apples , oranges , grapes, kiwi , yummy strawberries, nectarine, peaches, apricots, plums, water melon and so much more! My fridge is so full of fruits right now it is going to burst! I love it, I have so many choices...and right now with liquid aversion fruits are my best friends...YUM!

Soon we will be able to go to pick our own strawberries and in few weeks we can go pick cherries! Picking cherries is so much fun! I just have to remember to dress my kids in old dark colour clothes because they will stain their clothes so bad ! I can not wait...so yummy and so much fun! I have got to remember to take the camera this time, the kids are adorable picking the cherries and eating them...

a walk back in time...

2008-06-04T17:21:00.002+03:00

This past weekend we went to a pioneer village in TO. It was fun...Bilal enjoyed running around..Ziad was fasinated by everything from the sheep shearing, the tiny school house and the tin maker...I wish I could say the same for hubby, he was bored out of his mind! He had nothing good to say...what? they call this history...let them come and look at our history...blah blah blahhhhh....if I had a weapon he would have been gone..I only had the daggers in my eyes to shoot him with!

Few weeks ago we went to the ROM (Royal ontario museum) Ziad and I were fasinated running from one exhibit to another, talking about the mummies, the pots the statues and looking at the dinosaurs. Bilal and hubby were about to fall asleep from boredom...(note to self, never take hubby and Bilal along to things like this)

I love history, I almost majored in history but my parents convinced me not to , so now it is just a hobby..I love reading about how people lived 100-1000000 years ago....it is so interesting. I love reading novels that have a historical setting....

After the poineer village on sunday night on our way home we decided to stop by the airport and show the kids the planes landing up close....It was great...so cool...there is a gas station right across from the run way planes land on...if you stand in one spot the planes come right over your head, it is very fasinating...the kids had a blast watching the planes come so close over their heads....so many planes land in Toronto airport...a plane landed every 3min or so...small tiny jazz planes , medium planes, huge planes...The kids want to go to the airport everyday now!

ewwwwwwwwwwws

2008-05-31T00:11:00.001+03:00

If you are a woman and have a beard and/or a moustache shave it, wax it, burn it do anything but do not let it grow! But do not bleach it, which does not do the trick! I do not believe some people live with ugly facial hairs in this time and age! Laser hair removal is pretty affordable these days....so ladies, go for it please!

Very short shorts should be banned! They do not look flattering on anyone unless you are 6yo or are you a very skinny girl at the beach. I do not know what some women are thinking! Do they look at themselves and say yeh I look good this is a great look for the mall??! It is especially disgusting when the women have cellulite and fat thighs! EWWWWWWWWWWWW!

I know I know this has been talked about, but I do not believe there are women out there who are still wearing the MOM jeans! OMG these are not flattering on anyone...If you have the mommy pouch they make it 10x bigger...if you do not they make you look like you have one! I do not know why someone has not burned them yet! A low rise (not too low mind you!) is more affective at hiding that pouch...so Mommy’s go jeans shopping right now and do me a favour and burn those MOM jeans for ever!

This is not the pregnancy hormones talking...just my observations at the mall today! I am in a good mood...I got the cutest pair of shoes ever! Shhhhh do not tell hubby because I just bought a pair yesterday as well...and they were cute as well.

I decided that if you are pregnant and hungry, DO NOT GO SHOPPING! I bought Mac and cheese and some soups, scalloped potatoes and few other things...I do not even like Mac and cheese!!

who put soap in my food??

2008-05-26T17:47:00.004+03:00

Seriously am I the weirdest person or what? Everything I eat tastes like it has soap in it...at first I blamed it on my dishwasher! Poor little thing got me yelling at it for not washing the dishes good...it is a good thing it does not have any feelings! Then I ate an apple! It tastes like soap! Now I can not blame my dishwasher for this can I??

Water! It has no taste, no smell , no colour yet I am grossed out by it!! Ya3ni seriously who gets sick from drinking water?? How am I supposed to workout so I do not become an almost 170lb person in 8 months??

Ok now on to the good stuff! I am loving shopping! Now I have an excuse to shop and shop all I want...well I am buying tops...and the coolest thing is that they look like maternity tops...but they are not! so instead of paying $50 for a top I am only paying $20-30...

My jeans still fit OK for most of the day...but then they get tights sometimes...it is weird...I gain few lb through the day...I found the coolest thing! A belly band! I can undo my jeans and put this on...it keeps my pants up and it hides the fact that it is undone...I can make it narrow or make it show to look like I am wearing layers! It is a life saver...I am still too small for maternity pants...but my jeans do not have much room for growth and I do not want to go out and buy bigger clothes... not now! Maybe...just maybe a miracle will happen and I will be able to fit into my prepregnancy clothes not too long after the baby is born...HEY IT COULD HAPPEN! I will be able to get back to the gym 6wks after the baby is born...I am so glad I joined this gym! Other gyms only take babies 6months old and up...

I have not been in a blogging mood lately...I used to find everything bloggable few months ago now I do not...I wonder how long this will last...

waaaaaaaahhhhhhh...

2008-05-18T06:38:00.003+03:00

waaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh......I am going to be so fat!! Have I mentioned how much I hate being fat??? I am so going to the gym every day...ok 4x a week! Absolutly no cheesecake, timbits, kitkat, twix, those new cakes with dates I have recently discovered ...althought at this moment nothing sound too appealing...YUCK! *Kicking myself for not losing the weight I planned to lose earlier...damned procrastination!*

Blog about Palestine

2008-05-15T17:50:00.002+03:00

Palestine...it is my home that I have never set foot in, it is the land I love without boundaries.

My heart cries for Palestine, I want to touch its soil even once in my life. My heart and soul are always with Palestine, it is a part of my prayer ritual. I pray that one day we get our freedom we get our right to return. I pray for the gruesome murders and unfairness to stop, for children to start living like they are supposed to without fear, for mothers to be able to sleep the night without worrying that tomorrow or the day after she may lose some or all of her children. I pray for families to live together all in one place without a brother, a son an uncle in the isreali prisons for life. I pray that children can go to school or out to play and come back home safely. I pray that wives and husbands are not widowed too soon, and children are not orphaned when they are still young. I pray for people to live in peace and harmony and for all of us Palestinians born all over the world to reunite and meet in our homeland, a land who’s love was born in our heart...

Palestine will always be a part of us, it will never be forgotten, I am instilling the love of Palestine into my children just like my parents have done before...if Israel (tfoo) thinks that Palestine will be eventually forgotten then they are wrong..

I am a Palestinian and proud of it...

me and vans!

2008-05-15T16:04:00.005+03:00

Ok this has nothing to do with pregnancy hormones people! Stop blaming my ranting on pregnancy, I have been ranting and complaining about things for over a year now! Nothing has changed....now having said that , beware a rant is coming up...

I hate vans, I really hate them...I have been checking them out in parking lots, on the streets, everywhere....I can not see myself driving a huge van! It will take me hours to get into and out of parking spots! With winter coming it will be even harder! I had a hard time getting my accord out of my driveway when someone was parked on the street behind me with a few feet of snow banks around...imagine me trying to get a van out! So not happening! Hubby is so moktani3 belvans! I hate him!

We do need to fit three kids in the car, and our accord even thought it is a huge car does not fit two car seats and a booster, heck if I were to move Bilal out of the carseat into a booster seat and put Ziad into a backless booster seat it will still be pretty tight and and a PITA to put the seat belts on! I still do not feel that Bilal is ok in a booster seat although he will be legal...and those backless boosters do not seem too safe to me...so that idea is out!

I have been looking at a Mazda 5...it is a true mini van! Hubby is worried about the cargo space...bas ya3ni I hardly ever used the trunk in my car, as long as the cargo area fits a stroller and few grocery bags I am ok with it! The seats do go flat to fit stuff if we ever need to transport something.....

Beoble...I am having a night mare about me driving a huge van! I will take a look at the 5..and see if the cargo space is not too bad I am so buying it...Hubby can sell his car and get a big van if he wants to, but I am not driving a 50000000lb 100000 feet long van! I am so putting my foot down! OK??

Annoying things...

2008-05-14T17:13:00.003+03:00

You know that hair on your leg that you always forget to shave?? you notice it at the oddest times! You are sitting there with your legs crossed wearing a skirt and talking to someone and there it is, those two hairs that you always miss while shaving! I used to think it was because I was blind in the shower, no glasses or contacts but now what is my excuse for missing those two hairs?? I think they hide from me on purpose! 3an jad it is very annoying!

You know what else is annoying?? when you put on nail polish and someone needs you to do something right away! Like making them coffee or putting some grapes in bowl, or getting a bar out of a tiny box and trying to open it with your newly not dried yet polished fingers! How frustrating!

Another annoying thing is going to the bathroom and finding there is no toilet paper after you have finished your business! This happens too much here these days because Bilal was watching big comfy couch once and it was the episode where annoying Lunette had a toilet paper stuck to her shoe and and she dragged the whole thing with her to the couch and then starting playing with it...well now Bilal goes into the bathroom an starts unrolling the paper all over the house! uggh! He is not allowed to watch the big comfy couch anymore!

o and it is so annoying when you are in a hurry and you get to a red right, but no biggie you will be making a right turn so you do not have to wait for long...but there is an idiot in front of you who won't more ahead few inches to let you make that red turn and you end up having to wait until the light turns green..and what is even more annoying is when you are trying to make a right turn and there is a pedestrian crossing, a teenager who thinks he/she is so cool and walking at a snail pace! Move your stupid butt, this is why a lot of kids are fat these days, they move so freaking slow!

Another annoying thing is when you are sleeping and all of the sudden you are awaken by someone starting a conversation with your about this and that, and then asking you to get up and chit chat with him and watch a movie...then making u feel guilty the following the day for making him watch a movie all alone...7aram! NOT!

a blah blah post...one of many..

2008-05-13T16:45:00.004+03:00

Yesterday I made it to the gym for the first time in three weeks, it felt great to be working out again! I was feeling queasy when I left my house but after 35min of cardio my queasiness was ok! I did feel like gagging every time I drank some water! I was a bit paranoid when doing weight training and opted for using some free weights using 3 lb dumbells! I know I know too light....but better safe than sorry right at this stage...the baby is only the size of a sesame seed..so I gotta be careful! I do not know how something this tiny can turn a body upside down!

Yesterday I went shopping...since I am starting this pregnancy with my jeans already fitting right on, I do not have much room for growth (I could shoot myself for procrastinating and not hitting the gym earlier and for eating like a horse)...I bought some shirts that look like maternity clothes but are not...it is so great how those maternity style tops are in style, it saves me a ton of money for now at least!

Spring is finally back...I have to start my gardening! I have the browniest thumb in the world...I do not even know where to start...I am never ever buying a brand new house! Next time I buy a house it will have a garden that I just have to water! I am waiting for hubby to dig out the grass and get the top soil and start planting some shrubs and flowers so our poor house has something to make it look pretty on the outside..but hubby is a lazzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy! I know I can do it myself..but like I said I do not know where to start!

Ok no more procrastinating...I am off to the gym now before child minding closes for the morning...

just thinking out loud..

2008-05-09T16:37:00.004+03:00

I am getting excited about this baby now! It did take few days but it is starting to sink in, WE ARE HAVING A BABY!

I think I will have the baby at our local hospital...why drive all the way to Mississauga when there is a hospital five minutes away from home..??! I asked people on the forum for my area and everyone had good stuff to say about the hospital...I hope I can get a private room, I hate sharing a room!

Ah in the next few months you guys will hear all about it..you will become pregnancy experts if you keep on reading my blog! Well if you do not get so sick of it and decide to never visit my home away from home again!

I just had a new realization! I have to get a bigger car! Like my car is not already huge enough..I have to get a van......waaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh!! There is no way the back seat can fit 3 car seats! Ziad will be a bit over 7 when the baby is born, but he will still be in a booster seat, and of course it takes a lot of room! He will not be out of the booster seat until he is 8! Bilal will be 4.5...I am not sure if I will keep him his 5point car seat....it is already getting small on him, maybe if Bilal is in a booster seat which is alot skinnier than his chuncky car seat...we maybe be able to fit the baby in the car..ah who am I kidding, we have to get a van! waaaaaaahhhhhh...I already find my accord huge how am I supposed to dive a huge van! I am too tiny for a van!

I have a feeling this baby is a girl....I keep on refering to the baby as a her, she, so maybe! I am so going to find out during the ultra sound at I think twenty weeks. I will not be able to wait until birth..if it is a girl I will need a lot more time buying clothes...although for the first 6 months she ...see here I go again...refering to the baby as a she..Ok I will not talk about it...inshallah it will be a healthy cute baby...if it is khair for us to have a girl then be it, and if is better for us to have a boy then it will be great...inshallah a good healthy baby who will grow up into a good person...and please do not let the baby have hubby's nose!

on being pregnant..

2008-05-07T16:47:00.004+03:00

Yay I have new things to blog about now...after I came from Amman I had the snow to complain about, then spring came and I got busy with taking the kids out and stuff...but now I have a new thing to blog AKA complain about! being pregnant! Ah you guys will hate any pregnant woman in the next eight months!!

So this was very unplanned, but I think it is something in the air! I have three pregnant friends so far, pregnancy is contagious I tell ya!

Well I have been thinking about have a 3rd baby, but not now! I still wanted to lose those 10lb I have been talking about in the past year...and do you know what the due date for this baby is?? January 11!! in the middle of winter! when there might be snow storms!! With my luck I will actually go into labour on my own this time in the middle of a snow storm and end up having the baby in the car! Please please please let me not go into labour this time again..I like being induced!! I am going to call and order the epidural from now!

Ah the things I have to look forward to! In exactly two week my all day pregnancy sickness will start! I hardly throw up while pregnant, but I do have a mild nausea all day long for six long weeks! In those six weeks the sigh, or even the thought of water, milk and most liquids makes me sick...Hopefully it will be limited to water this time...I need milk and I'd like to be able to have some juice to keep hydrated! how am I supposed to workout without water...maybe this time I will not have water aversion!

I will keep on going to the gym 4x a week inshallah......It helped a lot with my two pregnancies...I only gained the 34lb I was supposed to gain even thought I did have way too many timbits and cheese cakes..

O I just found out that I am pregnant on Monday, but everyone already knows! I do not know how people can wait three months! I could not even wait for hubby to come home..I called him at work...I told the kids, my sister, my mom, your guys...my friends on babycenter...and if it was not too late in Jordan I would have called my mother in law, but not to fear...the next day I found hubby's niece on messenger and told her and now everyone knows......I can not keep anything from anyone! I am the same with gifts...we getting mama a patio table and gazibo for mother's day..and it is taking a lot of me not to mention anything to her! My kids always get their birthday presents early, because I just can not keep a surprise...I know tsk tsk..

When I told Ziad he got this thinking look and he asked me when did I buy the baby seed?? Why didn't I take him the baby store to help me pick a seed...and Why did I eat it without showing him how it looks like??! my bad! Few years ago I was showing Ziad pictures of babies in the womb...he asked how the babies got inside and I said well I guess the mommy's ate them! He got a very scared look on his face and asked "did you eat me???, are you going to eat me again?"...O what did I get myself into, so the whole baby seed story got started...when parents are ready to have a baby, they go into a special baby store and buy a seed , the mommy eats the seed and the baby grows in her tummy...it is not very far from the truth eh??

O well....at least now all clothes look like pregnancy clothes so I will not have a problem with shopping..heck I am going to go out and buy two new shirts today to hide my not yet visible baby bump...:) yay!

OMG

2008-05-06T01:46:00.003+03:00

OMG OMG OMG OMG OOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONOOOOOOON

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

I am so going to kill my husband!

Mansaf..

2008-04-15T20:24:00.001+03:00

Help !!!! how do I make mansaf??? I thought I knew, but now that I am ready to start I am clueless! My cookbook is no hlep! Neither is Mama!

what a night!

2008-04-14T17:00:00.003+03:00

Last night we came home after being out for most of day...the cat was very hiper so we let her play around while hubby and I watched TV.

A little bit later we hear a splash! Well I heard it, so I go check and sure enough the cat has fallen in the toilet! She didn't fall all the way in, she got herself out before she got all wet. The poor thing was scared, he heart was beating so loud. Thankfully the toilet was clean, I had cleaned it with bleach bathroom cleaner earlier in the day!

To add to her misery I gave her a bath! She is a cat she hates bath time, but I will not have a cat that fell in the toilet running around my house, NO WAY! so she got a bath. Now she smells so good, I think I will give her a bath more often...

Cats are so ugly without their fur! They probably think we are the ugliest things in the world because we do not have fur eh? I had to hold her for over an hour all wrapped up in a blanket because she was shaking like crazy! NOTE to self: always keep the toilet seat cover down in the downstairs bathroom!

Other than that we had a good weekend. We went to chuk E cheese, we had so much fun! I am more of a kid than my kids...it is so embarrassing! Yesterday we went to a fair in the area and went on some rides, and played some games. We went to my parent's house for a dinner party. I saw my neighbours and other friends I have not seen since I left to Amman, so it was fun to catch up with everyone! The good thing is that now I am officially an adult, it was the girl's job to help cleanup and do the dishes. For years it was my sister and I doing all the work, while those girls sat and watched TV right after dinner...now they are all grown up *sniff, sniff* one is a doctor well still a resident but still, and one is doing some pharmaceutical research, the others are in university...they are all grown up! I remember when we met them twenty years ago, they were little annoying brats, but we did spent alot of times together, they were the best neighbours ever! It was nice to see them again...

missing Amman....

2008-04-11T22:27:00.004+03:00

I am missing Amman these days....could I be feeling homesick after spending six month in Amman??

Today is hubby's niece's jaha and katb ktab. I am so mad that they didn't do it while I was there...uggh! I am super happy for her! She is hubby's favourite niece...not because of her but because hubby used to love her father too much and he passed away from cancer 24 years ago, when Dana was only 10 months old.

So now the little baby is engaged , legally married. I hope the wedding will not be this summer. There is no way we can go to Amman this summer!:(

Hubby's other niece got engaged few weeks ago. I used to not like her much before, but after being neighbours for few months we got pretty close...Now I love her ..for people who were at the cookie party, she the same niece that came along with me. Of course I was not there, when they had the party, I am so mad at them for not doing anything fun when I was there...grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...........

Yesterday I was watching a Jordanian show and it made me miss Amman....so I think I am home sick for Amman now:(

great customer service

2008-04-11T16:21:00.002+03:00

I was in bed this morning and looking forward to my morning milk and cereal but I was too lazy to get up, doing the five more minutes’ thing over and over!

As I was stalling getting up I got thinking about the one time so long ago when I started eating breakfast. I was never a breakfast person even though it is the most important meal of the day.

I started eating breakfast when I got pregnant with Ziad. I used to stop at Tim Horton’s every morning and order the exact same thing every single weekday morning. The staff at that Tim Horton’s knew me and...I think they named me the pregnant bagel and milk lady. After few months I would say the usual at the drive through. I used to have a whole wheat bagel, with cream cheese and a large chocolate milk everyday, I know I am so boring, but I do love those bagels!

After Ziad was born I had an awful postpartum problem! Constipation! After your birth bodies go out of whack and all sorts of things happen to the body...and believe me you do not want to be constipated few days after giving birth! It is 100000000000x worse than any other time. So of course I could not take any off the counter remedies since I was breastfeeding my few days old Zozo. The next best thing was a high fibre cereal. I chose Kellogg’s raisin bran cereal. It did the trick! When I had my second baby I was already eating cereal every morning I did not have the same problem. So pregnant ladies, do start eating a high fibre cereal from now!

So I got hooked on raisin bran cereal. I had it every morning for month. One day I bought a new box and was all looking forward to my breakfast! I dug in and YUCK! The raisins tasted like olives! I thought that I bought a faulty box; I threw it out and went to the grocery store to buy another one. It was the same! YUCKY RAISINS! What am I supposed to do now?? How could this happen...I was very upset! I called the 1800 number on the box and talked to a nice lady. I complained my heart out. It turned out that they used a different vinery! I was so sad! How could this happen?? My yummy cereal! How could they do this to me! So I went out and bought bran cereal and some raisins...it is not the same though!

Few days I received a letter from Kellogg’s. They were very apologetic. They sent along four coupons for free Kellogg’s products. Cool I thought. I kept on buying bran cereal and eventually got used to it. I add a bit of sugar and some cinnamon and it is yummy! A couple weeks later they sent another four coupons for free stuff...I bought more cereal with those and I guess other stuff...

Few months later after a visit to Amman, I came back to find a big box from Kellogg’s. They fixed the problem with the raisins and had sent three boxes of the raisin bran cereal. Later they sent another box with three boxes of cereal.

For few months I got free cereal and my favourite cereal was back to normal! I did switch to the plain bran cereal eventually because it has lower calories.

But seriously, isn’t this great customer service or what??

when everything misfunctions...

2008-04-10T17:12:00.003+03:00

Yesterday I had a bad electronics day!

First when I was vacuuming a sheet got stuck in my vacuum cleaner and I the belt broke! Good thing I looked at the manual , the same thing happened to my old vacuum and I threw it out! But since I bought this vacuum two months ago and I loved it I read the manual and I checked the belt. Sure enough, the belt was broken. I had to go out and get a new one!

My cable box was not working! It kept on saying that the channels will come shortly all day long! So for the whole day we did not have cable on the downstairs TV. It worked fine upstairs without the digital box, but I did need to the box to work! I can not stand watching TV without having the information on the bottom of the screen, so I did not disconnect it from the box and put directly to the TV. I was too lazy and what is the point if I do not know what I am watching! So we just watched the leapfrog letter factory DVD all day long! Later at night Bilal pressed something and I figured out that the box does work at channels 900...which are the same channels but I have to put 933 for tree house and so on...so now we have cable with info again!

It was raining and very windy yesterday, so the satellite reception died as well! It was moved by the wind and until Hubby came home and fixed it we did not have any Arabic TV as well!

When I came home at 3:30 after picking Bolbol up from preschool, I came on my laptop to check stuff, and oops! The wireless card or whatever it is, is not working! I had to bring my laptop up here and hook it to the Ethernet...ah I hate being tied down!

When Ziad came home from school I told him that nothing is working today, he asked is the microwave still working though?? I had to go and check the microwave...alhamdoullah it was working fine! I do not why he asked about the microwave...so funny!

So now everything is working fine...except for my laptop of course...but I watched a mosalsal this morning on the satellite and Bolbol is watching his cartoon on cable...I guess I will get the wireless device from the desktop and put it on the laptop and go downstairs...I hate being this far away from the kids!

bye bye laptop...:(

2008-04-10T16:59:00.004+03:00

waaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!

The wireless thing on my laptop stopped working yesterday. After spending an hour with HP on the phone last night it is still showing an orange light!

It seems that the pavilion has had a recall because the motherboard is miss functioning! Too many crashes and stuff. My laptop only crashed a couple of times so far, but I do not want it to get worse. Besides this wireless thing has got to be fixed! I can not work without it!

I like using my laptop in the family room where my kids are watching TV or playing.

So this weekend I will pack up all my files and pictures, and as soon as I get the box from UPS I will be sending my laptop off...

I guess I will be a bit MIA for a week or so until I get it back. I will check the blogs from time to time on our old desktop. It is in the basement, which I hate, so it will be very minimal.

Not a good time, this means I have to finish our taxes before Monday! OMG way to go procrastinating SAM! Bad bad bad girl!

O well..it will only be 7 days or less the lady said! I can live without my laptop! I will have more time to do other things right?? waaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...no I don't want to be away from my baby! Ok ok khalas grow up me! I still have the desktop so it is not too bad! But all my stuff are saved on this laptop and I hate the basement! O shut up, grow up...go get dressed and go to the gym! stop whining....but but but...I am going to miss my laptop...:x ....Ok I am off to the gym, I do not want anyone calling me fat at the party in two weeks!

Our trip to the falls.

2008-04-09T17:39:00.007+03:00

I am procrastinating! I have a long to do list, and what do I do instead?? I blog! Tsk tsk tsk!

This past weekend was the first good weekend of the year; it was nice and warm, sunny and beautiful!We decided to go to Niagara Falls. We have not been there for about three years. It is a 1hr drive from our house, the whole way Ziad was asking if we are there yet. This is the first time we go somewhere and I do not show him pictures online. So he did not know what to except. Every time we passed a bit of water he would ask if this is Niagara fall....you should have seen his face when first saw the falls! And it was the puny American falls that he saw first. He was amazed by the falls, he has been there before but he was about 2 when we went last time, so he did not care much about them

When we first got there we saw the American falls, and we thought wow how did they get so big?? Did they do something to make them bigger? What is going on, they were always so small and boring, and how did they get big and awesome?? So we parked and went down to the falls again, walked past the American fall, to the Canadian falls, and to the gushing river. My hair got all wet and frizzy, I knew I should not have blown my hair straight, but o well...at least I had a good hair day for few hours.

When we were walking away from the falls to go play on Clifton street, the American falls looked very small and insignificant after spending a bit of time looking at the bigger falls...so I guess they didn’t do anything, the American falls are great and awesome they are huge and very impressive, but when compared to the horseshoe falls they look a lot smaller and insignificant! I never noticed that before!

The kids wanted to go on a horse carriage ride, but we did not want to. When we were walking back some people got on the horse and the horse walk walking along near the sidewalk we were walking on. Bilal was running like a mad kid and yelling the horse to ‘tooooop, waitttttttt...’top peaase...he ran like that for about 5-10 min until the horse turned and went to the other side, it was so funny and cute.

We had a blast at the falls. It was a great family day! We had dinner, and then went to play at the arcades. It used to be called dazzle land when I was a kid and it was outdoors. We used to go there every week with our neighbours and their kids. We used to have so much fun so even though they changed it and added lots more to it, and made it indoor it still brought lots of memories of the time we spent there as kids.

To end the day we went on the sky wheel. I discovered I am not really afraid of heights! At first I refused to go, but everyone else wanted to go on.

Ziad started rushing eating his ice-cream. Bilal actually threw his ice-cream in the garbage so we can do on it. So I thought I will bear it, I will close my eyes if I need to, but within few minutes I was enjoying the view! It was great; I just wanted to kick myself for leaving my camera in the car. hmmmmmmmmmmmm darn it , I totally forgot about my phone camera! OMG I am such an idiot! Ok never mind we will be back soon Inshallah. The cool thing is that while we were on the sky wheel we found a short cut to where we parked. We were to go down the street, past the falls, up a hill and walk a bit to get to our car, but we took a short cut and it only took 5min to get to our car. It was great because after walking for hours my feet were killing me!

an everything post..

2008-04-04T17:40:00.004+03:00

I have not been posting much lately. I have so much to do and I have not been getting anything done!

I have not been to gym for a while week. My scale is being very annoying and it got me all depressed. But I have to and I mean I have to lose 5lb before the 20th...so next week I am going on a calorie reduction diet with lots of fruits, veggies and whole grains...I have a party to go to where all my Friends from Hamilton are going to be. I can not be the fat sister, especially that my sister has a 4mo old baby and is already nice and skinny...gosh I hate my sister! (not really hate, but you know what I mean). The weird thing is although my scale says a number I hate all my clothes are fitting good, even my size 5/6 skinny skirts...maybe my scale needs new batteries?? or is it wishful thinking?? OK new rule! No stepping on the scale. Eat well , exercise and hide the scale.

I just registered Bilal for blast ball. I hope he likes. The boys will start soccer in May. Ziad starts Karate tomorrow, I will sign them up for swimming. I hope it won't be too much. I am going to join the classes at the gym next week. I have never done classes before..I am too scared ...everyone always know what to do except for me! I think I will just stay at the far corner so no one can see my screwing up. I am sick of doing cardio on the E-trainer....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

My cat is so annoying....she always follows me around. I think I am her favourite person so far. I will be walking and she is right there...one day I am going to squish her! She is so tiny!

Last week I discovered she had fleas! OMG fleas, bugs in my house! I washed her and got the live ones out! It is no fun washing a cat, she screamed like crazy! I got her a flea collar and yesterday she finally went to the vet and he gave her the stuff that go on the skin and kills all fleas and eggs and so on! I have to put this thing on her once a month.

I was very upset by fleas, but I should have known. We got her from people who had two huge dogs and two adult cats and a house that did not look very well kept. But it is all over now. My cat is clean. Last weekend after washing her and getting about 10 fleas off her I went on a house rampage. I vacuumed my carpet all over about three times. I washed everything that can be washed blankets, covers, cushions, sofa covers and vacuumed things that can not be removed. I think we are safe, especially that the cat was in our house for only less than two days when she was washed and treated. I do not get how these people could live with fleas! I just about died when I noticed them!

Bilal (3.5yo) loves to hold her, but he is too rough with her. She is always running away from him! Ziad is still too scared to hold her, he wants to play with her from far away. I am waiting for the day she gets back at Bilal.

A university if coming into town! Wilfred Laurier, I am so happy with the news. Our house value will go up blah blah blah...and hubby wants to buy an older house to rent out to students, there will be more jobs in town and other blah blahs. But I could careless, this could open a new horizon for me. With a university around the corner just a five min drive away from home and the kid's schools I may be able to finish my CGA courses in a classroom setting instead of online, and I may be able to start my MBA and hubby will not have any excuse of who will watch the kids. Ziad is at school from 9-4 and Bilal will be the same in a couple of years. Just in time for the university to open. YIPPY!

Hmmmmmmmmmmm what else? The weather finally got nice. Bilal and I went out for our first walk of the year. It was great. I love my neighbourhood. We walked to two playground. Then we walked to the pond to see the geese, but there were none there, so we just walked back home picking up rocks from the neighbour's yards. Bilal would not move without taking a stone or a rock..so annoying! But it was a fun walk none the less. It is raining today so I am back to being lazy. We plan on going to Niagara falls tomorrow...I have not been to the falls for so long , since before we moved to Saskatoon!

the stain

2008-03-31T20:19:00.008+03:00

few days ago my kids were eating strawberries...they do love strawberries, and they are very healthy for them lots of vitamin C and other goodies, besides they do taste great!

While I was busy upstairs Bilal decided that it would be nice to share the strawberries with the carpet! MY WHITE CARPET! he squished the strawberries into my carpet with his feet in few different spots! MY WHITE CARPET! Ziad AKA telltale...he reminds me of little me! I used to wait until my brother did the smallest thing and go tell my parents...came running and told me of what Bilal did

I did not even panic! I do have my trusted spray carpet cleaner. Bilal did get a time out for five whole minutes in his room, where he has his books and some of his toys! But he screamed for the whole five minutes! I do not get kids! It is his bedroom where he spends lots of time, not a jail! I got my spray carpet cleaner and within two minutes my carpet was all clean like magic!

My carpet has been through so much! Once Ziad decided that paper is not good enough so he drew on the carpet with green and black crayons and red and pink markers!!!! My trusted carpet cleaner got them out, while I was yelling at Ziad like a mad woman! It was during Ramadan and I had guests coming in less than an hour! poop?? yes it got it out with no stain. Cranberry juice?? Yes it also got that! Chocolate milk? not a problem!

surprisingly I could not get stains this easily out of the dark grey carpet I had in the apartment in Saskatoon or the coloured carpet I had in Amman. Weird eh? everyone keeps on saying how we are idiots for picking white carpet for our house, but seriously after living with darker carpet I would pick the white again! We shampoo it once is a month or as needed..and for spot cleaning I have my trusted spray cleaner and it looks OK , much better than the dark ones in my apartment in Saskatoon or at my parent's family room! In a couple of years we will be getting hard wood installed downstairs, but when we are done through having kids inshallah...I am not a fan since I have lived in my parents hard wood floored house for years and hated it! But it is preferred by buyers so we have to get it done eventually...eh?

cookie (baskoti)

2008-03-30T02:34:00.003+03:00

We finally got the kitten...she is adorable and so cuddly!

Her name is cookie in english...Baskoti in Arabic and nick named pospos..

Ziad is still scared to hold her ,but he plays chase the rope with her. Bilal is picking her up bas ya haram he is not gentle with her at all!

a new member in our family!

2008-03-26T16:08:00.002+02:00

No no no..I am not pregnant and I did not have a baby!

We are getting a kitten!! My first pet ever! Ok I had a bird named Ziko once (whome I am accused of killing just because I was the last person with him hmmmmmmmmm, it might have been a girl..why did we assume it is a boy all these years..makes u go hmmmmmmmmmmmm eh?) and I have had few fish, but a cat is different, it is a real pet. It will not be harder than taking care of kids eh?? I mean I do not have to wakeup at night to feed her,read to her, not go to bed until she is sleeping and so on... and I can go out and leave her at home so it is 1000000000 times easier than a baby! I already had two babies and they have survived so I guess I did ok sa7?

I am off to buy cat stuff today, a scratch post, a bed, a litter box and scoop and the stuff you put in a litter box, some toys and food! I hope I am not missing anything.

Hopefully we will pick her up today! I want to name her cookie...Ziad wants to name her Ahmad, why Ahmad, you ask, I have no idea, but she is a girl so we can not name her Ahmad no matter how much of a fight Zozo put up, besides the fish we have is named Ahmad!

O speaking of the fish...Zozo is such a cutie. He wanted a cat for weeks now, but then we got the fish so he stopped talking about the cat for a while. I asked him if he wanted to get a cat still and he answered "Cats eat fish, we have to wait until Ahmad and Tamara the fish die and then we get a cat!" Tamara did pass away, but Ahmad is still alive and swimming! I told him that not all cats are like Tom (Tom & Jerry) faj3aneen and they will not want to eat the fish, gosh I hope that is true! So now he stopped worrying about the fish and wants a cat more than anything in the world! Speaking of Tom and Jerry, do you think our new cat will like watching that with us?? or maybe I shouldn't, I do not want to give her any ideas eh?

bye bye snow!!

2008-03-20T02:08:00.001+02:00

yay! In a week or so all the snow will be all gone! I am looking forward not seeing any white stuff anymore!!

This is my official shortest post ever! :)

A drive across canada

2008-03-15T20:25:00.006+02:00

Yay Hubby is on his way home ,he is going to be driving for a bit over 36hrs!!!

He left yesterday morning...drove for almost 12hrs and slept in Kenora, he is driving across Ontario as we speak, he will drive for 12.5hrs then he will spend the night in a town/city called Wawa! what a name eh? Maybe Haifa bateekh was singing about it...boos elwawa..ya bayi ma aznakhni!!!:o/ (Haifa not me)...Tomorrow morning he will leave Wawa and drive 12 more hrs and get home...

He should be here tomorrow night inshallah:) He is going to kill me! My new daily shopping expiditions have changed, instead of clothes, shoes and other accessories I have been buying stuff for our house, a new mirror, new vases, new this and new that, I still have so much more to buy, a new rug, new curtains, some more art work, a TV, and o so much more!! Well you can not blame me, after living in ugly houses and not being able to buy fine things for over two years I have all this built up need to buy house accessories! But my house is starting to look nicer, it just needs to be painted, but that has to wait until the summer! My last purchase was a black mirror and plastic plant/tree(I can not get a real one because Bilal will kill it within a day!), and they look so cute! I can not stop looking and admiring them! I know I am weird!

Yeh back to hubby coming home! What should I cook for him?? ma'loobi?? m7amar jaj? kabseh?? ah decisions, decisions!

Yay one more day of sleeping in bed alone! Ok not really the kids have been joining me in bed sometime in the middle of the night! It is so annoying! Little feet kicking me, little hands slapping me, comforter hoggers, I have four pillows on my bed, they have to use mine! they even use me as a pillow at times! It is parent abuse I tell ya! I am going to start locking my room!

My take on Jordan..

2008-03-12T19:16:00.004+02:00

It is still March 12th in Canada! I have two more hours to publish this post! It is March break and I have been busy with the kids :)

Hmmm what to say, what to say! I have not read any other blogs today so I will not copy cat anyone.

Before 1998 Jordan was just a random country to me, I had never set foot in Jordan...Ok this is a lie I did spend a night in Amman when we too our first flight to Canada 20 something years ago! But it doesn’t count.

I married hubby, half of his family is in Jordan so naturally it became our yearly vacation spot, along with Syria.

On my first visit to Amman I fell in love with it! I did not know what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised that it had lots of stores and brands I was used to, not as much as it does now! But after spending few weeks in Syria Amman was like Toronto! I loved how you can go to places and feel like you are in a western country, and go to other places and feel like you are in a different exotic world AKA downtown Amman, I love downtown Amman, it is a fun adventure!
I loved the Aqaba, it was very quite and serene! I loved the Dead Sea, Wadi rum, and all the historical places we got to visit in Jordan, I still have not been to Petra though!! (Annoying hubby! (*&^&%$#@QW$%R%&*))

In Jordan I felt that I belonged! Being a Palestinian in Lebanon was hell! In Jordan I was not any different from the rest, everyone talks the same way I do, and our family is called by our name, not the falastiniyi! *&^^%%$$! It felt more like home than anywhere else I lived in!

I enjoyed living in Jordan! The six months I got to live there were unforgettable! I loved every minute of it, except when I was crossing the streets and waiting for a taxi!

I will leave you with pictures of some of my favourite times in Amman. I have more pictures of our trips to 3ajloon and um qais I would like to share but they are on my other computer...I will leave them for the next blog for Jordan day! Enjoy...:)

Having lunch with friends at Macdonald's

At Dreampark

The Farm...so peaceful! Except for the dogs barking...!

At the Farm feeding the goats

Riding the horse in the Aqaba

At the Aqaba

Party at Wadi Rum

Cookie party! My yummy cookies!

snow in Amman

Dancing at the deadsea

Friday prayers, I loved the mosque in front of our house

Eid prayer..my baby is praying with them

snow, gym, driving ....

2008-03-06T18:55:00.004+02:00

I have not posted for a while...I wanted to, but my complaints, rants and rambles (although they are all valid) seemed silly when everyone is posting about Gaza and more serious matters. But lets face it, I am not an issue blogger and probably will never beL

This morning my alarm went off at 6:45am, I have it set to 99.9fm so if there any school closure due to the weather I would know before I get up. We had yet another snow storm on Tuesday, but schools were open on Wednesday, it was still snowing on Wednesday morning. Transportation was cancelled so of course Ziad didn't go to school! Even I wanted to drive him to school I would not be able to; I had 20cm of snow on my driveway.

Since I have been back 1mo and 1wk ago I have had to shovel snow at least 7times!! My house is on a corner lot! It is great I get plenty of lights, I can see all directions from my house but I have a huge side walk to shovel snow off! AH my poor poor back! It took me two hours to shovel my single car driveway, while doing it I was thankful that we did not buy the bigger house with a two car driveway! So finally I had everything cleared, people will not curse at me when they walk on the sidewalk, no one will sue me for falling on my driveway and we are good!

Now I have a huge dilemma! We are expecting another storm on Saturday, 10-15cm of snow! Great no problem I am all stocked up on food and will be out shopping on Friday, shovelling the snow is no problem I am so used to it now , and it is a good exercise so no biggie! But I have a 4 foot pile of snow around the driveway! Where am I going to put the new snow???? Unless by some miracle a few inches of snow melt off those piles by Saturday shovelling snow will be even harder!

In this one month and one week I have shovelled more snow that I have in my 30some years living on this earth! I am so buying a snow blower! BUT I am sure once we buy one it will stop snowing! This has been one crazy year!

OK snow post is over...but I am not done "talking"

I finally joined a gym!! I joined on Saturday and so far I have worked out 2x! I figured I did not need to go to the gym yesterday since I got my workout from 2hrs of shovelling snow. Today I am super sore! My arms are sore from shovelling and my legs are sore from my lower body workout on Tuesday so I figured today I will rest my muscles. So yay! I am on a roll...I hope I can make it to the gym 4x next week! Although I have two kids to put at the small child minding room since it is March break next week, but it is ok.

The gym I joined is inside the superstore! Pretty dangerous for me considering that I am a shopaholic, so unless I need to pickup some milk or other groceries I am going to leave my wallet in the car! Ok yeh whatever! We are screwed!

Hubby is planning on leaving Saskatoon next Saturday! He is driving here since he has to bring his car, the million books we have there and other stuff. We are praying for good weather and please please no snow! It is a 3000KM drive I believe, about 30hrs driving. He will be stopping for the night in three different cities, driving about 9hr/day. I wish I could go there and then we drive together, but I do not want the kids missing too much school, they have already missed too much and I am sure my mom will be pulling her hair if I leave the kids with her for 5 days!:( O well...inshallah everything will be ok for him!

YAY!!

2008-02-28T18:19:00.002+02:00

I am so happy! Hubby just accepted a job in Ontario at the company he worked at before moving to SK! He will start as soon as possible! We are going to be one big happy family again inshallah!

But now the stress starts, I know hubby will be doing it all, but still I am the one getting stressed! What to do with our furniture and stuff there!!

Hubby will drive so he can put all the books and stuff in the car with him, but uggh! Ok take a deep breath in, breath out, in , out...relax me! sheesh!

So yeh yay!

blocks!

2008-02-26T21:11:00.003+02:00

grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr I am so ready to scream!

Everytime Bolbol builds a block tower it falls! He builds it them skinny and does not make a good foundation at the bottom! He is so not going to be an engineer!

Everytime the tower falls he starts screaming and throwing the blocks away! He wants me to build him super dopper towers! Like I have nothing else to do! A girl can build so many block towers in a day...

*screaming*

my driver's licence picture!

2008-02-26T16:11:00.002+02:00

I just got my Ontario driver's licence in the mail and for once I actually like my picture! My hair is perfect, not flat here and puffy on another side, my makeup is perfect, my smile is not weird or half a smile and it actually look like me! Yay! Now I can not wait until someone asks me for a photo ID!

The good news is I get to keep it until 2013! Yay! I wish I could say the same about my passport picture!

I'd show you guys, but I do not have a scanner here! But when I get a scanner I will show you my great licence picture!

I will be going to get my ontario health insurance card soon, let's hope the picture is as good! please please please!

Happy birthday my Dear blog!

2008-02-26T02:25:00.003+02:00

OOps!!! I missed my blog birthday!!

Happy first bday Sam's blog!

It has been a nice year, my blog has been there for me when I needed to talk and no one else in the real world was there to listen...it has been a place I can blah blah all I want without someone rolling his eyes, and even if someone does roll his/her eyes, who cares! I can not see them!

7aki fadi inspired me to start my own blog after reading everyone else's blogs for about a year, I know I am such a copy cat!

On a totally different subject, I FINALLY got my car!! There is a big difference between driving a 1995 Accord and 2006 Accord! My new baby is so quite, I have to listen hard to see if it has turned on or not! I am not a big fan of black cars, but it is growing on me already! I am very thankful for our friends who lent me their car for the past 25 days! They are the nicest and sweetest people I know!

On another totally different subject, it is going to snow tomorrow! The snow has finally almost melted off our street and it comes again tomorrow! KILL ME PLEASE!

Thing to do before 18

2008-02-21T16:45:00.003+02:00

1) Do not take your friends for granted, the friends you meet in your teens are the ones you will have for life...it is harder to find good friends when you get older...

2) Make exercise a habit and be good to your body, you will be glad you did later!

3) Eat all the junk and fast food you want and enjoy it while your metabolism is still high and calories burn without much affort!

4) Enjoy your time with family and friends, who knows where life will take you later.

5) Learn to ride a bike and to play an musical instrument

6) Dream big, nothing is too impossible! Work on acheiving your dreams, and know that although school seems unimportant it is the only mean to reach your dreams so do good! As much you hate school now, one day you will miss your school days!

I tag nido, Omar, KJ!

The rules for this tag are:
Post these rules before presenting your list.
List 6 actions or achievements you think every person should accomplish before turning 18.
There are no conditions on what can be included on the list.
At the end of your blog, choose 6 people to get tagged and list their names.
People who are tagged write their own blog entry with their 6 suggestions.
Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged.

My new snack...

2008-02-19T20:25:00.003+02:00

I am back to my weight loss mission! I have to lose 10lb by the end of May! Except it is not going so well!

Today I thought I will have a good healthy yummy snack! I shared a banana with Bilal. I had just finished making him a peanut butter sandwich and a chocolate milk. So I thought hmmmm,I will spread some peanut butter on my half of a banana, then I decided to add a tad of nesquick on it, just a drop to sweeten it! It was sooooooooooooo yummy! I decided another one won't hurt, so I made another banana and it was as yummy! I am so glad I only had two bananas left or else I would have had more!! I will not be buying bananas for a while now!

I will do 1hr of cardio today instead of my planned 30min to make myself feel better for over indulging! But Bananas ARE healthy, peanut butter is healthy as well..and I just had a tiny bit of chocolate so it is not too bad ya3ni eh?? yah if I only had the half banana I started out with! so Yeh but I am still doing 60min of cardio!

I wish I was a bear!!

2008-02-19T06:23:00.004+02:00

Not a polar bear, because apparently they do not hibernate! I guess it does not get cold enough for them in artic.

Remember how I was praying that the ice will melt?? Well it didn't! I had to go out two times today to shovel the ice off my sidewalks! They kinda of melted after I threw salt on them...But I still had to shovel and lift the 1 inch ice sheets of the ground to the snow bank....Now my neck and back are in so much pain! I am so getting a message soon! I deserve it after all this shoveling...life without hubby sucks....! I hate winter!

I went to my friend's house in Mississauga, we had a fun! The kids played with the cat , now we have to get a cat! eya ya ya...driving home was so scary though! After above zero temperatures today some of the snow melted and the streets were all wet, now it is below zero and all the water has turned into ice! Driving on the highway and the main streets is ok, but driving on side streets and the ramp into the highway was scary! Getting off the main street into the side street leading to my house I was driving at 20km/hr, and that felt too fast on the ice rink that is the street! There was a car on the highway parked facing the opposite direction, I guess he skidded, after seeing him I drove even slower I was doing 70km/hr on the 401!

Wake me up when February is over and all the bad weather is gone....what ever happened to global warming??? hello!! ZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Please let the ice melt!

2008-02-18T05:11:00.005+02:00

Please let the ice melt, please let the ice melt, please let the ice melt, please please please ya rab!

I hate winter, I hate snow, I hate it when it rains and the snow turns to ice! Will this winter never end??

Please pray with me that the ice melts from the sidewalk, the driveway and the street that the annoying town of milton plow people did not clear proberly! We are not in Saskatoon for god's sake! Do not shave the snow and call it a day! sheesh! Inshallah the weather forcast is wrong and it will be above 0 for few days! Please give us a break!

rants, rants and more rants...

2008-02-15T17:11:00.002+02:00

I will try not to write anything girly in this post...ah who am I kidding, guys be warned, there may be girly stuff in this post!

I need to buy a new jacket, something that is casual! I also need to buy poor Ziad some gloves. No big deal you are thinking right?? EXEPT STORES HAVE ALREADY CLEARED THEIR WINTER STOCKS AND ARE ALREDY STOCKED WITH SUMMER CLOTHES! Who the hell buys summer clothes in February when it is still below zero degrees and few inches on snow on the ground??!! Why do they do this! There are still two months of winter left, kids lose their gloves, and people get sick of their clothes that they still have to wear for two more months! I do not buy summer clothes until May when I can actually wear them! Why would I want to buy clothes now only to put them in my closet and look at them for three months?? I will be going to the outlet mall today; hopefully they still have winter clothes up! Seriously people! Of course Amman is not better! I wanted to buy sweaters and a boots, but in late November they still had summer stuff on display and just a bit of winter clothes! Jeez!

Since I am in a venting mood, let me talk about snow! Have I mentioned how much I hate it?? I got stuck in the snow TWO times getting out of my DRIVEWAY! Luckily I was blocking the garbage truck so the guys got out and gave me a push! Later that night my getting stuck coincided with two cars coming on each side! Two cute guys gave me a push! So to those four guys that got me unstuck on Wednesday, THANK YOU! I would have not left my house seeing how my street was not ploughed yet, but in the morning I had to get Zozo to school, and at night we had to go out and buy him valentine’s cards and a snowsuit.

BTW Ziad started school and so far so good! He does not come home with a ton of homework, he does not have a million books to study with, and he loves it so far! Best thing he starts at 9am not 7:30! So we do not have to get up super early and be all pooped by 8pm! He comes home at 4:00 so I actually get a chance to miss him, not like a 1:00pm dismissal! I never got to do anything while the kids were at school in Amman! The one thing I miss though is the bus actually coming to our doorstep, luckily we are on a corner lot and we just have to cross the street, so I can leave Bilal in watching TV and not have to get him dressed as well.

My back is so sore from shovelling snow! NO NO not just my back, my neck, wrists and arms o and for some reason my legs are sore as well, it may be because I have to go up and down the stairs a million times a day! But hey it is exercise so I do not mind it! Speaking of exercise I really have to start working out! I am not a nice fat person! I have gained 10lb and I need to lose them! I am waiting for the bad weather to pass and for premier fitness to officially open so I can join! And for the snow to melt so we can walk to the park! I am so looking forward to summer! This has been the coldest winter ever for me! First the indoor cold in Amman, and now the snow in Canada! A girl just can not get a break! *sigh*

a snow post...one of so many...

2008-02-13T03:08:00.001+02:00

Did I ever mention how much I hate snow??? Well just in case you did not read the million snow complaints I have already posted, now you know!

We just came in from shovelling the snow in our driveway and sidewalks....The kids helped of course, they each have a small shovel and they are adorable "helping"...ok it is more like I shovel and push the snow into the snow bank, and they put the snow from the snow bank on the sidewalk...but it is ok, their shovels are small, so the damage is minimal!

Seriously what is up with the snow, why does it love me so much! I wish it would stop following me!

On a happy note, we are finally home and settled down! All our stuff has been unpacked! My back is super sore!! I have been so busy for the past two weeks; I just realized that I have let myself go! My skin is dry because I keep on forgetting to put moisturizer on, my hair needs colouring and hair everywhere needs to be waxed, shave and plucked, my nails are all ugly and undone! It is a good thing hubby is away! Well it has all been taken care of now!

So yes we are finally home now, it took so much time and effort to get our house ready! Hubby kept on telling me not to spend too much and I kept on ahaing and oking him...he is going to have a heart attack when he sees the visa statements...hahaha...

There are so many things you take for granted, and TV is one of them...we have been TV less for two days now and we are missing it...We always have the TV on for background noise...none of us can stand the quietness. Our TV was at my parents' house, but it did not fit in my car....so I am waiting for my brothers to bring it...if it was not for the snow I would be watching TV as I type this instead of this eerie quietness. The cable guy will be here tomorrow, but there is no TV! O well he can hook up the internet and the phone...and we will do the cable later. Thank god for my laptop! We are watching DVD's on the laptop here and there during the kids' quite time.

ps. this is depressing....all of our hard work is not covered with few inches on snow! I hate u snow!

Rambling....

2008-02-06T15:06:00.000+02:00

If you ever read the headlines "Woman murdrers husband after an argument about moving for the millionth time" , know it is me! Hubby has been talking to a friend and he said he can find him a job in Qatar! La Qatar wala bateekh! I am not moving ever again! NEVER! I am putting my foot down!

We are still at my parent's house. Our house needs alot of work!
We moved the furniture upstairs but it needs to be tidied up. I have to put my bed together, and buy beds for the boys.

Yesterday I went to walmart and bought all the cleaning stuff, and I still have to buy food, and other stuff so our house is livable! Is so much work I tell ya!
There is a snow storm today (*&^^%$%^$^_*^&$%$^$) so I am staying put and not doing anything! A little break, except I do not want it because I would like to be able to go home ASAP! Ziad has to start school soon!

The goods news is that I bought a car! Well I do not have it yet, but our friends were nice enough to lend us thier extra car. We subleased it for 2.5years, and if we love it we will buy it at the end of the term. It is black, I really wanted silver but beggers can not be choosers! The monthly payment on it is only $380, just a bit move than what we were paying for the civic! It is a much bigger car! We had to compromise, I wanted a small cute car, hubby wanted a van so we got this! Phew can you see me driving a van?? I am too tiny for a van at 5'1! I have insurance all set up, and just need hubby's signature!

The people we subleased from turned out to be arabs! They got a job in California and could not take the car with them, so they needed to get rid of the lease and are too frustrated ya 7aram! Bas i really wish it was silver! I would have been alot happier! bas o well, black is ok ya3ni eh??

Why doesn't the spell check work here anymore?? I do not want to have to take my stuff to word to check it ! UGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH especially that i got the picture in the right spot!

Back in Canada

2008-02-02T23:39:00.000+02:00

Phew am I ever tired!

It was a long trip!

Our flight from Amman to Abu dhabi was great, right on time, the kids were perfect! I did get annoyed with the people at the airport! Why do us women have to leave our luggage all alone to be screened by the machine and then go stand in line to be hand searched! why don't they they just put the search room close to the machine! So annoying!

Abu dhabi airport was so crowded! We did not find any place to sit. We walked and walked! Bilal was very annoying! I kicked myself a million times for not staying at the hotel for those 6 hours! We were so tired, we finally sat on the stairs! Our flight was delayed by 2 hours, then another hour while we sat on the plane waiting for connecting passengers! Then because some idiots were fighting over seats the pilot could not take off while they were standing and arguing! if you boarding pass says seat 38F then sit in 38F, do not go to 34C ...sheesh! Finally the pilot warned them that the airport closes in 10minutes and if they do not take their seats the flight will be cancelled!

The flight was sooo long, almost 15hrs! I watched 2 arabic movies and two american movies, plus some sitcomes. I also slept a bit! I hope I did not snore! I am so tired now!

We have been at my parents house for few hours...

Hubby left Amman on thursday, at 3:30 am, he is still at the airport as I write this! He got to Montreal on Thursday night, and went to the airport to take his flight to Saskatoon on Friday morning! There is a lay over in Toronto. There was a snow storm in Toronto, so his flight was cancelled! He spent an extra night in montreal, and flew to Toronto this morning! Something happened and his flight kept on getting delayed, so he told them to cancel and put him Monday's flight. He is waiting for his friend at the airport to bring him here! Poor hubby, eh?

PS: I am enjoying the warmth here! I am not wearing any socks and only my PJ without any extra shirts....yay!

I hate snow!

2008-01-30T11:24:00.001+02:00

I hate it , hate it , hate it!

I've always hated it, it ruined my 16th bday, my 20th bday, and now it snows lots in a country where it barley snow the day before hubby's flight and two days before my flight! The airport will be a huge mess! Who knows when our flights will take off!

UGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! I hate snow! Im so mad at the snow I ruined the taljeh for everyone...hahaha....

O hubby's niece was supposed to go to court get married, but it is not going to happen today, so she is not too happy...

I really really really hate hate hate hate hate hate snow!

Renting an apartment in amman!

2008-01-28T10:19:00.000+02:00

This is one thing that is for sure alot easier to do in canada, aint it??

We pay 500 JD to rent the apartment. It is furnished with very old furniture. Everything is pretty much worn out, the apartment was bought from the family that owned it few years ago for 30K with all the funiture and household items now it is worth about 70 something.

This guy wants us to give him everything like we left . He wants us to paint that wall that were not really that clean to start with. The walls in the bedrooms are molded and all black...YUCK! of course it is our fault according to him! The carpets are a million years old and pretty gross, he looks at them and said we made it dirty and wants us to clean it! The 7ares was there and told him the carpet was this dirty when he helped me put it on the floor less than two months ago!

Now the kicker! The water silo was broken, we paid 30Jd to fix it! it is not ours to fix, the owner has to pay for this! But according to him, he gave it to us in a good shape so it is our problem! Ok no problem we fixed it, and deducted it from the money we were supposed to pay him.

Yesterday we ran out of water, no problem turn on the pump and the water will go from the silos downstair to the ones upstairs. Except that the pump was all hot and not working! So yeh we spent all day yesterday without any water! We called him today and he said to get someone to fix the pump and pay him! since he gave us the pump in a working condition!

In canada we never had to worry about fixing things, everyone knows that when you use something there wear and tear! unless we purposly ruin something like making a hole in the wall or breaking the door handle by misuse it is the owner's responsibilty to fix things on the rental premises!

Last year when my house was rented, the renters sent me an email saying that the pipe under the sink has burst open! I did not even tell them to call someone...I was in Saskatoon and my house in Milton, 3000Km away! I called a plumber in the area, paid him by credit card and the problem was fixed within few hours of receiving her email!

We all know that renters income is not a net income! When doing our taxes I was asked for any maintenace I spent on the house and those were deducted from the income!

This dude in Amman does not even pay taxes on his rental income! Otherwise he would have caused hell and would not have settled for the 800JD to break the contract! He does not want to fix anything, he wants us to do all the cleaning, fixing, painting and blah blah blah! ugggggghhhhhh!

a sad/happy goodbye

2008-01-27T12:39:00.000+02:00

OMG time sure does go by quickly! It is almost time for us to leave Amman! Only FOUR MORE DAYS! I am sad to be leaving Amman, but I do miss my family and home in Canada! So I am happy about going back home.

There are actually few things I am looking forward to back home!

My furnace! It keeps my house warm all day long! I have been wearing way too many clothes to keep warm inside! right now I am wearing a turtle neck sweater, my long sleeve and long pants fleece PJ's a pair of socks and my new cute warm pink and white slippers! I have been wearing socks and shoes for so long I have forgotten how my feet look like!

Clothes dryer! I do my laundry and it takes a good two days to dry! I have to sit infront of the soba to dry them piece by piece!

My deep soak bath tub in my beautiful bathroom! A bathroom so pretty makes doing the bathroom business ok! yeh back to the bath! I am so looking forward to a nice relaxing bath.

Water pressure! You do not appreciate those little things until you no longer have them! I am sick of bad hair days!!

My car! I miss driving! I miss shopping and not be worried about finding a taxi! or going out during prayers because all the taxi drivers come here to pray so finding a taxi is a pain..oh I can keep going about this no car business but I'll stop here !

An endless supply of water! No more no water on Sunday because I did few loads of laundry during the week! Like today! I have had the water pump on for hours and still no water! I have things to do uggh!

And drinkable tap water!

Ok that is about it, I have to go back and dry my laundry! I am never going to curse, kick or do anything bad to my dear dryer!

Oh and I am almost done packing, I have already packed 4 bags, two more to go! I think I will have enough room to leave our coats in the luggage so I do not have to deal with them on the plane and during our six hours stay in Abu dhabi! Let’s just hope our luggage does not get lost like it did the one time I decided to leave our coats in the checked luggage on one of our trip from Toronto to Saskatoon! It was -30 degrees in Saskatoon! Our luggage did come home the next day but we froze our u know what off getting home from the airport!

The clueless Doctor

2008-01-26T09:09:00.000+02:00

Last week Ziad started limping. It started on Sunday after he came home from winter camp. He said his leg hurts from our long walk on Friday morning. He is always saying his legs hurts and then after putting on cream it miraculously gets better. He kept on pointing to different areas of pain, one minute it is his ankle, the next it is his calf and so on. So we thought it is the same time and didn’t pay it much attention.

By Monday evening he was still limping and the cream did not make it better. Upon examining his leg we found the problem. His knee was swollen! He could not straighten his leg and it only hurt when he tried to straighten it.

On Tuesday we wanted to take him to the doctor we usually see, but it was snow day so she was closed. We took him to Ibn Alhaitham sure there is something broken! The x-rays show the knee bones in great condition. The doctor said so when he first saw the x-rays! But then changed his mind when he saw Zozo could not straighten his leg! He was dumbfounded and went back to the x-rays! He started saying maybe this, maybe that! He ended up putting a cast on the back of his leg going from his upper thigh to this ankle! Well there was nothing broken so why the cast, but he is the doctor what do we know!

The cast was annoying Ziad and making him walk weird. His knee was even more bent than before. So the cast was not doing what it is supposed to do!

On Friday hubby and I decided the doctor is an idiot and did our own research! We googled and found something called a jumpers knee, in medical terms it is called patellar tendonitis ...it sounds like exactly what Ziad has! Ziad loves to run! He is always running and jumping in the apartment ,outside, wherever when doesn’t have anything to do. The swollen knee, unable to straighten, caused by too much running and jumping!

We called hubby’s uncle in Aqaba who is a doctor, and he confirmed our opinion! If the bones are not broken or fractured then it must be something with the muscle! What ever you do, do not try to straighten the leg he said! This is what that doctor was trying to do! I am sending him an email soon, to give him a piece of my mind!

If you are unsure about something ask another doctor for god’s sake! I am sure this doctor is great with bones, but when the bones were perfect he had no idea what to do, so he puts a cast on! Dah! We will not think he is less of a doctor if he went to someone else! He is a young guy and probably just recently graduated. If the bones are perfect then go to a muscle doctor Mr. Bone doctor! Same goes with any other profession! If you are not sure how to do something, ask someone more experienced for help! This is how you learn and gain experience! Sheesh!
After a day of resting, applying ice and taking medicine Ziad’s knee is not swollen. He is still not able to straighten it, but it will take few weeks to get better!

Let it snow , Let it snow

2008-01-22T09:08:00.000+02:00

Wohooo! We woke up to a fluffy, white morning!

Hubby's neice came to wakeup at almost 8 am, all excited about the snow! Her excitment made all excited about the snow, even though we are sick of it! Everyone is having a snow day here! yippy!

We called everyone....hubby's sister is in Aqaba and so sad, his niece is in Dubai and we haha'ed her, his other sister in Saudi and of course we had to rub it in....Everyone is upset for missing the snow...what is wrong with people here!

I'd post my own pictures, but I am a lazy picture person..I upload my pictures on the computer 3 times a year, so I have way too many pictures on my camera it will take forever!

Update: I decided it looked too pretty, so I downloaded my 500+ pictures on my computer

I am just glad I did my shopping yesterday so I am all stocked up on milk, fruits and bread! Yippy!

Speaking of snow, the first year we went to Saskatoon....the place where it snows the most in my opinion, there was a spider web on my balcony...it was a huge spider web, but it was invisible! After the first snow it was covered with snow and looked liked huge and unreal! I was so scared that this was the web of a snow spider...*LOL* I know, I know! Silly! I made hubby come home from work to make sure there is no giant snow spider on our balcony!

I hate packing(again)

2008-01-19T13:48:00.000+02:00

Have I mentioned how much I hate packing??? Well I do, I hate it, hate it hate it! If I do not pack for the next 20years it will not be soon enough!

Didn't I just do this 6 months ago?? And hubby thinks that I will agree to go back to Saskatoon only to move back to Toronto, no way!

I have not started packing yet, but everyday the maid comes and helps me clean a bit. Just thinking about though it driving me crazy! I have bags full of clothes to give away, but now I have no idea where to give it. The foods and the dishes and other stuff I bought will go downstairs to my sister in law's house . We have to go throught the kids toys, decided what we will keep in one box here in amman for them to play with, what we will take with us, and the broken toys will be thrown away. I have to start this soon. I only have 12 days left!

O and hubby extended his stay in Amman, he leaves one day before we do! It is nice having him here to help??

I have to fit my stuff into six bags to take to Toronto.

Today I had a dream we were going to stay in Abu Dhabi for one week and for reason who-sane and his wife as well as Q were there. I remembered that I put all my summer clothes in the bag hubby is to take with him, so I had to go shopping and they were helping buy summer clothes, since my sweaters were too hot for AD weather...isnt that weird? Maybe this is a sign not to send my cute summer clothes with hubby eh??

oh no! not another birthday!!

2008-01-10T16:21:00.000+02:00

I just realized today is the 10th of January! Meaning in 5 days it will be my birthday! I remember the days when I used to get excited about my birthday! Everyone knew it was my birthday because I got a new hair do right before my bday! Well not anymore....I hate birthdays! It just means I am getting a year older, and approaching old age!

*a huge sigh*

I do not want to get old...waaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh....

yummy hot chocolate. meeting the blogger gals...school vacation vent

2008-01-10T14:51:00.000+02:00

Damn it people you are sick..so I am changing the hot chocolate picture..:p

Phew hubby is gone to his mom's house so my precious laptop is free!

So like Kinzi said last night we went to the Galler for a ladies night out....It was great getting together with Kinzi, Mamabean, and Salam....and of course I finally got to try the yummy hot chocolate everyone has been raving about. Yes it was yummy! But i had a little bit in my cup when the guy took the cup away! I wanted that last sip! Even if it was cold!

It was a nice break away from the kids...who are on top of me as type ...

Speaking of kids I am so looking forward to them going back to school! Ziad has been off for two weeks now!! Please someone shoot me! Who the heck gives kids 5 weeks off???!!!!! Bilal's vacation just started today....I have been looking for a program to send them to, you something for few hours a day, but the only thing I found is a two week thing that teacher English, no problem they will be out of the house and get to spend time with other kids, but it costs over 260 JD for two weeks! It is a bit too much! *crying*

Well the sucky thing is our kids will not be going back to school in Amman, since we leave on Feb 01! It will take a couple of weeks for us to be back to our house and the kids registered in schools in Milton not Saskatoon!

Let me a take a minute to vent! Hubby wants us to move back to Saskatoon! I do not want to! No offence to Saskatooners, but it is soooo freaking boring! I want to be back in my beautiful house and not in that crummy apartment in Saskatoon!

a quick post about Mr computer hogger

2008-01-08T15:56:00.001+02:00

My poor blog...I have not blogged for eight days!! This is a record for me, unless I am away on vacation!

Since the computer hog (AKA hubby) is here I have not had much computer time! He is too busy with stocks and options AKA as losing our money...OK in all fairness he has made $5000 but he did lost $40,000...ah well...it gives me an excuse to buy whatever I want...my argument is hey do not look at me, I am spending $100 on shoes, but you did lose 40k...haha...ok so it is 35k now...

Ok hmmmm I do have lots to blog about....a weekend at the farm and seeing a few hours old baby goat, tooooo cute! And few other bloggable things that came to me.

Next time hubby is around he'd better bring his laptop with him!

o and I am starting to feel sad about leaving Amman! I made some good friends here, and other than this annoying cold 24/7 I have really fell in love with Amman...

OK computer time is up..:(

Happy 2008

2007-12-31T13:42:00.000+02:00

Wishing everyone a happy new year! Inshallah 2008 will be a good year for everyone....

Bye Bye 2007, it was good knowing you!

We are not doing much today....I wanted to go out and party, but then decided to have an small gathering at my house with my friends and family so the kids can welcome the new year with us.

Pink eye

2007-12-25T07:18:00.001+02:00

oh oh!!

For years I have been hearing about my friends' kids getting the pink eye, and I thought I hope my kids do not get it!

Well guess What??? I GOT IT!! yeh on Christmas day when I can not go to the doctor to start treatment! BTW does anyone know of a good eye doctor in the tla' el3ali area??

I should have gone to the doctor the minute I noticed one of my eyes is too red, but I thought maybe it is because I am tired...uggh! Now my eye is red, and one is significantly smaller than than the other...not a very good look!

Lets go back in my history...this is the third time I have gotten this in my eye. The first time I was about 6-7 my eye was very swollen though! Everyone was being nice to me, and I recall being in a car going to some one's place in a hill and my neighbour was driving. For some reason I picked that time to put my hands on his eyes blocking them..playing the guess who! Thankfully he did not kill me, because I would kill anyone who does it to me while I am driving!

The second time I was in Lebanon on vacation...I was not allowed to wear makeup for a whole week! But thankfully the week was over the day we went to a Khathem Alsaher concert, and I looked all pretty when I took a picture with him, but my idiot cousin took a picture of us with his body cutting his head off! Unfortunately that was 15yrs ago before we had a digital camera so we found this out too late! I am still mad!

This is the third time in Amman...Hmmmmm it seems my eye gets sick in the middle east...INTERESTING...

Well now when hubby comes on Friday night he will not only see a fatter wife, but one with a pink eye as well and maybe no makeup for few days! crab!

update: Thank you Anon...I totally forgot about the eye hospital,it is a 10min walk from my home! We went there and saw a doctor. I am glad it was open today!

After I finished this post I checked Ziad's eye and yup, he has the pink eye...he is the one who gave to me! His eyes have been red since Sunday, but I thought it was because he was going to bed late and waking up early. DAH at me! Well now we are on antibiotic drops and getting the drops into Ziad's eyes is a pain in the rear!

I had to tell him about the consequences of not taking the drops of course I exaggerated a bit, and I think I scared the hell out of him. He is scared of the drops but he does not want his eyes to get worse so he is letting me put the drops in his eyes, the first time it took us 1hr, the second time it took 10min..hopefully next time it will take the less than 1min it is supposed to take to put a drop in each eye...

Merry Christmas

2007-12-24T11:16:00.000+02:00

Merry Christmas to all my friends.

I hope everyone is having happy and safe holidays, and that everyone is enjoying all the decorations and lights.

p.s. I hate snow, but I love this picture. So cozy, I want to be in that little house by the fireplace sipping some hot chocolate then going for a walk in the snow, building a snow man , having a snow fight, then going back in for more hot chocolate and a cozy nap.

My Eid post...

2007-12-24T10:31:00.000+02:00

I have lots to blog about but I have been too lazy.

First let me say how cold I am and how this cold is making me extra lazy! Like I can afford to be any lazier! I can’t wait to be back home to the land of affordable heating and insulated houses. I just can not see myself spending $1000 for solar to heat this apt! You know how many shoes and clothes I can buy with that money instead?

Ok now I am done with my obligatory I’m so cold rant...lets move on...

Eid was fun, Ziad was upset that he did not get to go to Eid prayers, poor guy. We got dressed, went downstairs to be with the rest of the family. Hubby’s sister and brother arrived from Saudi shortly after, so it was nice to hang around together. Everyone left for their traditional Eid lunch while the kids and I went to Mamabean’s house for the cookie party.

It was great, the kids had a lot of fun and it was great to meet the bloggers who attended. I finally got to meet the famous Rambling Hal. The cookies were yummy. I had a hard time eating them; they were too pretty to eat.

The next day we went to Aqaba. Few weeks ago my sister in law went to Aqaba and did not take Ziad with her. Ever since he has been driving her crazy, every time he sees her he asks “why didn’t you take me to Aqaba with you” so this madness can stop we decided to take him there. Of course he still asks her the same question saying that he wants to janenha (drive her crazy) and zahea’ha (bore her) with this question because she did not take him with her espoo3 elmadi.

We had fun in Aqaba; Although we did get up at 4 am to get ready for the bus to leave at 6 sharp, which was changed to 7 sharp! yeh right, does something sharp exist here? We left at almost 8. the bus ride was not too bad, everyone was joking around and we chitchated with my sister in law's friend. Bilal slept most of the time, and Ziad was all over the place talking to everyone.

We went on the horse carriage, something Ziad has wanted to do forever! And we went on the boat and saw the underwater, very very cool! It would be so awesome to dive there...or at least go snorkelling. We really wanted to go for a camel ride, but did not know where to go, poor Ziad and Bilal they were really looking forward to riding on a camel. (So was I)
When hubby comes we want to go Petra and Wadi rum. We did go to Wadi rum, but it was at night time. There was a party, we danced and chitchatted then went back to Aqaba to sleep!

O wait, I have got to talk about our room in Aqaba! It has the tiniest two beds I have ever, ever seen! I was sharing the roon with my sister in law along with my two kids! My sister in law has a house in Aqaba, her husband and sons were also there, so she just went there for the night. Bilal and I slept on one bed, while Ziad slept on the other bed. Sometime during the night Ziad joined us on the tiny bed! Eventually I got up and slept on the other bed all by myself! What a night!

We also got to go shopping! All my shopping experience in Amman has been at the mall! And this souk we went to reminded me of Lebanon when we were little and went shopping with my parents,so that was fun.

All in all it was not a bad Eid. With the cookie party and our trip to Aqaba it was anything but boring.

The whole time I was writing this post I was listening to a song on Rotana Zaman! I am done with this post and the song is not done! People 30-40 years ago had so much more patience than we do today eh?? Songs were way tooooo long! I am changing the channel, this is torture!

Eid Mubarak!

2007-12-18T18:05:00.000+02:00

Eid mubarak to all ....Inshallah everyone will have a safe and happy Eid...

All I heard today is how horrible we are for not taking Ziad to hajj and how unfair it is that there no ka3ba in Amman! OMG

We got past the hajj thing and he realized this is eid is the famous kharoof eid, how come everyone , and he means everyone in the world has a kharoof except for us! sheesh! Now I have to go out and buy a kharoof or everyone will laugh at us...(kharoof=sheep)

Then he made me feel guilty because I have been saying that baba will be here when Eid comes, oops sorry for not being so specific, he comes a week after eid, "I was all excited that Ami(rami) will be here on Eid, now he is not...blah blah blah"

Eid does have a whole new dimension when you have kids...

This Eid the kids got educational arabic games....that is all they wanted, they picked them out themselves so do not look at me like that, I am a fun mom OK! Hubby is bringing them toys they chose from Toys r us's website, and I bought them a couple of leapster games from Ebay. I do not get how people can buy their kids presents and keep they a secret until eid, christmas, bdays. I have been trying to do this for six years and so far no good...I get too excited and show them...O well..maybe next year!

nothing to post about

2007-12-16T19:57:00.000+02:00

It is official; I have run out of words! I do not have anything to blog about!! NOTHING!

I have had the most boring weekend ever!! Bilal is sick...the sickest he has ever been! He has not moved off the sofa for four days! And neither have I! Well except to tidy the apartment up a bit, and to take a shower and to get some food from the kitchen. We have watched so much cartoons, my brain has turned into mush! And I am feeling super fat! I just had to throw that in there...The feeling fat thing I mean.

Today we overslept; we were awakened by Ziad’s bus missed call! OOPS! This happens when you use your cell phone as an alarm clock! Note to self, buy an alarm clock. So Ziad had a day off today as well, since I could not leave a very sick Bilal and take Ziad to school.

I was going to post about something serious today as a matter of fact. I wanted to post about the Pakistani Muslim girl murdered by her father in Toronto, but I decided I was not in the mood for posting about something so depressing. The poor girl; Allah yer7amha.

Then I was going to post about something I read online the other day. I can not find the article, but apparently people are whining about the drive thru, mainly Tim Horton’s (kiss, kiss miss u Timmy) drive thru! What am I going to do without the drive thru??? Those little windows have been a life saver for me! If it was not for the drive thru I would have bygone so many eating outs! There is no way I will take two kids out of the car seats, and order while making sure the kids do not bother others, and do not decide to leave the store, and then try to balance holding two kid’s hands, while holding the coffee, and food to the car! I only have two hands for god’s sake!

I guess this is why Tim Horton’s take only cash in Ontario, since they are a lot busier than those out west! I have to say I am going to miss being able to use debit and credit cards for my coffee and treats! I will go back to keeping a Tim Horton’s cash on hand! How inconvenient! There is one Tim Horton’s in Mississauga that is right beside a Scotia bank with a drive thru ATM! I love that location, whenever I am shot on cash I just drive to that one, ok so it is a good 10min drive from my house, but so worth it! Really I am not that lazy, I hardly ever used the drive thru before I had kids, ok that is a lie, I hardly ever used the drive thru in the summer before having kids.

So much for not having anything to say, what was I thinking; I always have things to say!

Too much Rambling here..

2007-12-12T16:46:00.000+02:00

We are leaving Amman on Feb 01, I am sad about leaving so soon, I have grown to love it here. I am not even minding the taxis, the indoor cold and the annoying guys.

I am not looking forward to our flight home! We go from Amman to Abu Dhabi, then a 14hr flight to Toronto. OMG! I booked a hotel at Abu Dhabi airport, but I am having a hard time justifying spending $140 for less than five hrs! We get to Abu Dhabi at 9 pm, and leave at 2:00 am. I will try very hard not let the kids sleep until we board the plane from AD to TO...hopefully they will take a nap on the plane from Amman to AD so they can stay up late...... I AM NEVER TRAVELING THIS ROUTE AGAIN!

My baby is sick, I feel so bad because I let him go to school today. He was fine in the morning, but when he got off the bus he had a fever and was sleepy...he will be missing a trip to dream park tomorrow...:(

Ziad stayed home because he missed the bus today... it is so annoying how they left so fast, they were few minutes earlier than usual. Bilal's bus is so much better, they never leave without calling...

I have finished Eid shopping, I got clothes and presents for the kids, they were all educational toys, in Arabic, I still want to buy one more toy, maybe we will go to the mall on the weekend...hmmm maybe not, I will go alone on Sunday.

I need to buy a pair of black pants, but I am having the worst luck finding the right ones. I really hate pants shopping! I did buy a cute black turtle neck sweater from mango (what a funny name) to go with the black pants I am planning on buying...so I am happy about that.

Spring shoes (formally transit) do not have boots yet in Amman! I left Canada on august 01, and they already had a good selection of boots on display in the stores. I need to buy a pair of black boots and a pair of knee high boots to go with my skirt, sheesh! Hurry up already!

I think I am getting sick, I should start taking cold FX, hopefully it will work its magic and I will not end up getting the kid’s cold!

I have been going to the gym once a week these past three weeks! How horrible is that?? Something always comes up preventing me from going...*sigh* I am so going to be fat :’(

I bought a cute pair of pink socks. They are so warm cozy...my feet love them!

Ziad loves Barney! He told me that this morning, he thinks Barney teaches us good thing...*screaming*

Hubby is coming in two weeks, yippy...

bye bye goldie...

2007-12-09T12:03:00.000+02:00

Well our gold fish (goldie) passed away this weekend....usually when the fish dies we go out and buy a new one before the kids realize that the fish is not sleeping. This time Ziad is older and more fahman! The fish is sleeping bit did not work on him...*sigh*

We had a small funeral for goldie on Friday, we had to decide where to bury her. We finally decided to bury her in the garden at his aunt's house downstairs. It rained on us, so we had to make it quick, we read the fate7a and put a flower to mark her grave, it was the shortest funeral ever! I hope the cat will not dig her out!

So now our fish bowl sits empty, and goldie is in jennah with her fish family and friends.

She was a good fish, always hungry! Anytime someone got close to her bowl she would come up and wait for food. I think she may have died because she ate too much. Right before bedtime on Thursday, Bilal decided to feed her, which is a big nono here! He put too much food, and being the faj3ani she is, she ate too much I guess...I was planning on cleaning her bowl in the morning....*sigh*

This is why I hate getting pets for the kids, their death too soon is inevitable...

Kids and reading

2007-12-05T10:10:00.001+02:00

Before Ziad was born I stocked up on children books and I would read him a book every night. When I went to Syria he was seven months old, when I went into a book store to buy him Arabic books to read to him the girl has to hide her giggles when I told her I am buying these books for my seven months old baby. It is not like I was buying him novel, they were cardboard books with 2-3 words on each page, sheesh!

Now Ziad and Bilal love books, we buy 2-4 books from Ctown every week, Arabic books of course, and we read 2-6 books every night depending on how early we settle down in bed.

I love reading! One day when I was eight or nine years old I discovered a room full of books and magazines in my grandfather’s house. That is when I realized my love for reading. I was in heaven; I would sit there for hours. They were books collected over the years, my young uncles, my older uncles, my aunt, and some for friends of the family. My favourite books were a series about kids who solve mysteries, kind of like Nancy Drew. Loza, nossa, atif, bakheet and takhtakh, those were their names, I wish I knew what the series if called. There were also some romantic novels, Ghassan Knafani books, the Red Crescent magazines (they had the saddest stories about Palestine), and few other novels for Arabic writers. Before I left to Canada I had read every single book, and magazine in that room. I wonder if they are still there! I hope so! I want to take some books that I would love to reread.

When Ziad was in preschool the teacher read them a book everyday, and they had daily library visits. Everyday he would bring a new book to read, he was always excited about it, and most days we read the books before he even took his snow suite off. On top of that we visited our local library everyday, we borrow 20+ books each visit. In KG they were still read to everyday and had daily library visits. Everyone in the school had to log the books they read. KG kids were to read 11 times a week. Ziad loved it when we read, and dare I forget to write the name of the books he read in his log every night.

In Jordan Ziad never comes home with a book to read. They have a library at school, but it is not important for grade one to read so they do not have access to it, until they are in grade 3. I do not get it, the library is there, why not let grade one and two students borrow books to read or to be read to them?? No wonder the girl laughed at me for buying books for my seven months old baby in Syria!

Introducing the first girl in the family...

2007-12-04T17:48:00.000+02:00

This is Miss Maya....my new niece, she was born on Nov 30th.

She is the first baby girl in a family of four boys, well my two boys, my sister's son, and my brother's son. Now my sister has a girl. Is she ever going to be spoiled , especially by me, you know how much fun it is to buy baby girl clothes and toys?? It will be a lot of fun!:)