Tuesday, 27 December 2011

a winter walk

the best walks are the walks, when you go out expecting it to be an ordinary walk, but then something surprises you, like the walk at the beginning of spring when you spot the first crocuses and daffodils, or the walk in autumn, when you find a tree full of apples, in a spot that you walk past almost everyday, but this tree has gone unnoticed, but the best walk is the walk in winter, when you expect the tree's to be bare, but instead you are faced with one of the most prettiest sights that you'll see at this time of year.





Sunday, 25 December 2011

escapism....




when kids are bored, and you just can't get yourself to look or feel excited about doing an activity with them, give them a box of junk, some sellotape and pva glue, then make yourself a cup of tea and leave them to it.
works every time.

Friday, 23 December 2011

Thursday, 22 December 2011

the holistic approach...

in islam, our approach to life is a 'holsitic' one. we take care of not only our physical body, but we ensure our mental and spiritual bodies are taken care of as well. that is the true beauty of islam, the everyday normal actions that we do in our day to day live without giving much thought as to how this is effecting us, generally has a physical, mental and spiritual impact on us, such as our salah (five daily prayers). this not only applies to the actions that we do but what we eat and drink can have this effect on us too.




pumpkin is something that we enjoy at this time of the year. it is available in abundance, it's delicious and very versatile in what you can cook with it, but did you know that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was thought to have loved squash; he was reported to have once asked his wife A'isha (may Allah be pleased with her) 'O A'isha, if you prepare a casserole, increase the squash in it, as it strengthens the grieving heart' (Jauziya).

It is not exactly known which type of squash the Prophet (PBUH) was talking about, but what we do know is that nearly all the vegetables in this group contain beta and alpha carotene's, vitamins C and E, and potassium and fibre. they also have a high antioxidant level which is beneficent in heart disease.

SubhaanAllah, not only does this group of vegetable have many physical benefits, but the Prophet (PBUH) mentions that it 'strengthens the grieving heart'.

(some content taken from: healing body and soul, by amira ayad)

Wednesday, 14 December 2011

healing body and soul



i am currently reading this book, and finding it quite fascinating. as someone who is very conscious of what we as a family eat, the benefits of healthy eating and how it effects us, mind, body and soul, finding this book was a blessing.
 i would love to share every little bit of this book with you all, but as this isn't possible, i will share what i feel are the most relevant to us and what we can mostly benefit from insh'Allah.

Monday, 12 December 2011

upside down pear cake


after many Friday's of eating cake baked by my babes, i though it was high time i baked them something.
some softening pears which everyone was ignoring gave me the inspiration.
one of the simplest cakes I've ever baked.
not one of the prettiest,
but one of the tastiest.
enjoy with cream or custard (we had it both).

Wednesday, 7 December 2011

today we.....

.....after so many grey and dark days saw the sun shining so we put our books away and went outside, even though there were winds which felt as if they were blowing 100mph.


splashed about in puddles that were left behind from last nights rain.


saw this hole and discussed what kinds of animals might live in there.


my two year old told the ducks off because they were stealing each others bread.


got chased by huge white swans who wanted all the bread for themselves. 


eventually the clouds moved in and the winds blew us all the way home.

Tuesday, 6 December 2011

felting

the kids attended a felting workshop last weekend. it was really great to watch them create pieces art with natural fibres such as lambs wool.
 Alhamdulillah the kids have been dabbling in so many different things lately,  thanks to the hard working sisters who organise all these events, your hard work does not go unnoticed.




 these are some of the beautiful things that the tutor bought in to show us, they were truly beautiful, so much hard work and effort went into them.




Friday, 2 December 2011

taking ten....


peppermint tea + laptop + books
no matter what kind of day i've had, this combination at the end of the day,
is sure to prepare me for the day that follows.