In order to get myself more into my blog, I think one day a week I will devote to posting something I saw, heard, or read that provoked my thoughts or caused a reaction from me.
This weeks has to be this little note I saw on the back of one of my kid's schoolwork sheets that he did in class:
"It smells like $*it by that girl."
Who would write such a note, and to whom? Judging by the handwriting, no preschool aged child wrote it. It must have been a teacher/teacher's aide?
The tone does assume a younger person wrote it. But why? I mean, what's the point? And who was she writing to? I know enough to say she probably didn't write the note to the teacher. The age gap is too great for them to have that kind of relationship.
I know, this is a complete waste of time. But I keep wondering about it every time I see that worksheet on the fridge. I am also grateful my son can't read yet, and is not curious enough to notice it and ask me what it says. ^_^
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Friday, July 3, 2009
Sad
Well today was a sad day in our house.
My mother, sister and three of my brothers moved back to Jordan, permanently.
I am glad that they will be living where it is best for them right now, and am also happy that my nieces and nephews who haven't seen us in ten years will finally have my family in their young lives again.
I am happy that my mother will be bale to attend her oldest granddaughter's wedding, and her oldest grandson's too, inshaallah (God willing).
But I am sad because only God knows when I will see them again. I pray it is soon, and I am glad I got to see her on webcam yesterday, and my brothers, too. My sister was acting camera shy, ^_^
My oldest son, who is almost 6, felt just as sad as me, and wants to write cards to them and send them artwork. He really likes to draw now, mashaallah. It didn't occur to me that drawing also builds fine motor skills, just like writing, and his writing will improve as a result.
See, for the longest time we were stuck in this vicious cycle of him refusing to write anything at all, because one of his teachers at weekend school told him he is "not good" at writing. So he would be sad and bow his head and say, "I'm not good." Which I found heartbreaking!
He would try at times to write stuff but never a full page, and only with heavy praise and cheering-on.
Then, in Rebecca Rupp's awesome book, "How to Get Started on Home Learning", she mentions in her journal entries that her sons are always drawing as a part of their schoolwork. No matter what the topic or lesson was that day, camels, water, teeth, electricity, her sons would draw pictures to go with it. So I thought, Hey that's a great ideeer! And got him construction paper and pulled out our former baby wipes box of drawing implements. It's really helped a LOT!
A fun way for him to do copywork is with an illustrated dictionary. I have him copy out the entire page, including the pictures, and he loves it alhamdulillah.
Oh another thing that got him motivated to draw and well, write, (that's my ulterior motive) was to get him and his best friend scrapbooks to fill up and exchange at the end of the summer. Its actually My very Special Scrap Book based on Eric Carle's books and has a lot of awesome stickers (that I am eyeing for making bookmarks), as well as dedicted pages with fill in the blanks. Such as "My name is...... I am .... years old. I like to ..... I have .... brothers and sisters. My favorite color is...." etc.
So far he has filled a few pages, and some of the drawings are so precious and insightful, I am having second thoughts about sending it off when its full! The hubbs suggested I scan it, but its not the same. I can't wait to see his best friend's, too!
The best friend moved away, so this will be extra-special. We (the moms) are hoping the boys will start a correspondence. I think this is a great idea. I still correspond with my first correspondent, Ala Jibaly.
Well, I guess this is enough. My intention was to complain about expensive yarn, but right now there are WAY more important and weighty things on my mind.
My mother, sister and three of my brothers moved back to Jordan, permanently.
I am glad that they will be living where it is best for them right now, and am also happy that my nieces and nephews who haven't seen us in ten years will finally have my family in their young lives again.
I am happy that my mother will be bale to attend her oldest granddaughter's wedding, and her oldest grandson's too, inshaallah (God willing).
But I am sad because only God knows when I will see them again. I pray it is soon, and I am glad I got to see her on webcam yesterday, and my brothers, too. My sister was acting camera shy, ^_^
My oldest son, who is almost 6, felt just as sad as me, and wants to write cards to them and send them artwork. He really likes to draw now, mashaallah. It didn't occur to me that drawing also builds fine motor skills, just like writing, and his writing will improve as a result.
See, for the longest time we were stuck in this vicious cycle of him refusing to write anything at all, because one of his teachers at weekend school told him he is "not good" at writing. So he would be sad and bow his head and say, "I'm not good." Which I found heartbreaking!
He would try at times to write stuff but never a full page, and only with heavy praise and cheering-on.
Then, in Rebecca Rupp's awesome book, "How to Get Started on Home Learning", she mentions in her journal entries that her sons are always drawing as a part of their schoolwork. No matter what the topic or lesson was that day, camels, water, teeth, electricity, her sons would draw pictures to go with it. So I thought, Hey that's a great ideeer! And got him construction paper and pulled out our former baby wipes box of drawing implements. It's really helped a LOT!
A fun way for him to do copywork is with an illustrated dictionary. I have him copy out the entire page, including the pictures, and he loves it alhamdulillah.
Oh another thing that got him motivated to draw and well, write, (that's my ulterior motive) was to get him and his best friend scrapbooks to fill up and exchange at the end of the summer. Its actually My very Special Scrap Book based on Eric Carle's books and has a lot of awesome stickers (that I am eyeing for making bookmarks), as well as dedicted pages with fill in the blanks. Such as "My name is...... I am .... years old. I like to ..... I have .... brothers and sisters. My favorite color is...." etc.
So far he has filled a few pages, and some of the drawings are so precious and insightful, I am having second thoughts about sending it off when its full! The hubbs suggested I scan it, but its not the same. I can't wait to see his best friend's, too!
The best friend moved away, so this will be extra-special. We (the moms) are hoping the boys will start a correspondence. I think this is a great idea. I still correspond with my first correspondent, Ala Jibaly.
Well, I guess this is enough. My intention was to complain about expensive yarn, but right now there are WAY more important and weighty things on my mind.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Cabbage Patch Kids clothes!
Listing the last few of my mother in laws adorable Cabbage Patch kids clothes on eBay!
Go check them out!
Go check them out!
Saturday, March 28, 2009
So... here we are
Wow, its been way too long since I posted here.
Changes. Been making some changes, including a major on the overall content of this blog. I want it to be more than just a knitting & crochet blog. I will use it more to talk about my views on whatever, things I have found interesting on the web, and of course knitting and crochet. My life in general I suppose. Online journal, then? Maybe that's stretching it. Or, maybe we should just leave it at, "whatever is on my mind that day that I feel the need to share with the world". Yeah, that sounds about right.
Well, the other Big Change that I should update on was the Major Move from the South East Coast to the (sort of) South West Coast. It took a while to adjust, and an even longer while to get a new routine and to make friends. This last part is always the hardest, due to my innate lack of confidence, haha. I'm sure all "newcomers" feel this to some degree!
So it took a few months to meet people and make friends. It was through a wonderful girl who I met at the masjid that I met the entire group of girls who I now consider, for the most part, great friends. Alhamdulillah! I feel right at home now, and so does the rest of my family.
Z, my 5 year old, does not want to go back to Florida. Only to visit my younger brother who still lives there. (Who, by the way, is the Last Remaining Outpost, haha! My entire immediate family lived very long in Florida, and now we've all left but him. If you're reading this, Adel, PLEASE COME HERE! I think you would love it.) Anyway... yeah so Z also refers to Florida and "Expensive Florida", which I found so hilarious the first time I heard him say that. I laughed silently, because he was very serious when he asked me a question about "Expensive Florida"... pertaining to a toy or book we left behind, but I laughed loudly at the memory when I was alone.
The Community here is a nice change, too. Very active, and following the right methodology as far as I can tell, and that makes us really happy. Z is in weekend school on Sunday, for about 4.5 hours, then gets Quran tutoring after that for about 35. hours, alhamdulillah.
I love going to our Halaqa (religious study circle) once a week. After the religious study we eat and just socialize. The kids get to play; its really cozy alhamdulillah. I also joined the Sac Muslim Moms group, and have attended every play date (they're monthly) so far. Its a nice way to get the kids some more socialization, and me too!
Then we have Story Time once a week at the library. The librarian reads a couple stories, and plays a couple games with using the feltboard too (which I really want to make for us to use in homeschooling) and then she does an arts and crafts activity. The kids love it! They get to see their new best friends, also homeschoolers, mashaallah. This family also has all boys, and the oldest 2 are close in age to my oldest two. Baby just tags along. Actually Baby plays a lot with their second child, as both are second children aren't really sociable or at the stage when they interact with their peers a lot.
Anyway, time is escaping me, so I will end this here and will post again soon, as I have to lament my current crisis, which is the cost of good yarn these days.
Til then...
Changes. Been making some changes, including a major on the overall content of this blog. I want it to be more than just a knitting & crochet blog. I will use it more to talk about my views on whatever, things I have found interesting on the web, and of course knitting and crochet. My life in general I suppose. Online journal, then? Maybe that's stretching it. Or, maybe we should just leave it at, "whatever is on my mind that day that I feel the need to share with the world". Yeah, that sounds about right.
Well, the other Big Change that I should update on was the Major Move from the South East Coast to the (sort of) South West Coast. It took a while to adjust, and an even longer while to get a new routine and to make friends. This last part is always the hardest, due to my innate lack of confidence, haha. I'm sure all "newcomers" feel this to some degree!
So it took a few months to meet people and make friends. It was through a wonderful girl who I met at the masjid that I met the entire group of girls who I now consider, for the most part, great friends. Alhamdulillah! I feel right at home now, and so does the rest of my family.
Z, my 5 year old, does not want to go back to Florida. Only to visit my younger brother who still lives there. (Who, by the way, is the Last Remaining Outpost, haha! My entire immediate family lived very long in Florida, and now we've all left but him. If you're reading this, Adel, PLEASE COME HERE! I think you would love it.) Anyway... yeah so Z also refers to Florida and "Expensive Florida", which I found so hilarious the first time I heard him say that. I laughed silently, because he was very serious when he asked me a question about "Expensive Florida"... pertaining to a toy or book we left behind, but I laughed loudly at the memory when I was alone.
The Community here is a nice change, too. Very active, and following the right methodology as far as I can tell, and that makes us really happy. Z is in weekend school on Sunday, for about 4.5 hours, then gets Quran tutoring after that for about 35. hours, alhamdulillah.
I love going to our Halaqa (religious study circle) once a week. After the religious study we eat and just socialize. The kids get to play; its really cozy alhamdulillah. I also joined the Sac Muslim Moms group, and have attended every play date (they're monthly) so far. Its a nice way to get the kids some more socialization, and me too!
Then we have Story Time once a week at the library. The librarian reads a couple stories, and plays a couple games with using the feltboard too (which I really want to make for us to use in homeschooling) and then she does an arts and crafts activity. The kids love it! They get to see their new best friends, also homeschoolers, mashaallah. This family also has all boys, and the oldest 2 are close in age to my oldest two. Baby just tags along. Actually Baby plays a lot with their second child, as both are second children aren't really sociable or at the stage when they interact with their peers a lot.
Anyway, time is escaping me, so I will end this here and will post again soon, as I have to lament my current crisis, which is the cost of good yarn these days.
Til then...
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