Strawberry Picking

Decided to take the kids strawberry picking yesterday! After searching around my area with no luck we headed over to the field on Fallowfield and Richmond. Wow They still have lots of strawberrie sand gosh are they big!!! Zaynab sat her little self down on the irrigation pipe and had a snack, way too cute. Of course Abdullah couldn't stay in one spot so wandered up and down his row picking as he went till he got bored. I am not usually much of a berry person but decided to partake in the sweetness yesterday. Ummm , Ummmm good - man will my Mom be surprised to read that LOL.

Will try to post photos later when I upload from my camera.

New Library!!!

Well our part of the city finally got a new library and we took the time to check it out. Wonderful new facility with lots of computers and lots of space. Very open concept, not sure if that is good or bad LOL or are libraries not as quiet as they used to be??? My kids always had lots of books so we didn't make it a regular thing. But now that there is one right in our neighbourhood I am sure it will be a bi-weekly event if not more.

That was our outing for the day plus a trip to Dairy Queen for a cold treat.
Was hoping to get some scrapping done tonight but no such luck maybe tomorrow or the next day???? or maybe I will have to wait until next week while the kiddies are in summer camp.

Hey it's not a full month yet...

and here I am updating again!!! All due to my wonderful friend Barb and a message she posted on SB. I am still here Barb and I am well!!! LOL Busy with the kiddies and the Canada Day BBQ that we had on the weekend. It all went well and now I am attempting to keep the kids entertained. Gosh summers are so different now than when I grew up. Not even a full week out of school yet and already I am hearing ..."Momma I'm bored!" God help me, maybe it was a mistake to not enroll them into camp for the whole summer. Sigh, guess I will have to work harder at entertaining LOL.

Haven't done any real scrapping in a while, finished up a few pages from my last crop and completed a mini family album that I did as a class at the Stamping & Scrapping Boutique. Awesome class and I totally love the completed results.

Tomorrow we are off to our new local library to check it out and get a few books and then maybe off to Dairy Queen for an ice cream treat. Today we saw the movie "Cars" cute movie!!!


That's my update for the moment, take care and enjoy the lazy days of summer!

Bad, Bad Blogger I am!!!

Ok I know I have been a really bad blogger and poster for that matter on my favourite scrapping site. But it is really weird actually. In the past few months I have been much more of a reader than a contributor. Sorry for that all, been busy in a lot of other areas as well. volunteer teaching at the kids school, plus field trips galore and to add to that a new kitten in the house. Busy little fellow - so never a dull moment LOL. Anyway all is well on the home front here. Still struggling with secondary infertility and just about ready to give up :o(.We have a somewhat busy summer coming up but it should be fun.

I apologise to my friends for being out of touch in the last few months and will do my best to rectify that.

Hope to add some more to my blog soon.

My Life's Hero!!!!

Without a doubt the hero in my life is...
MY DAD!!!!
OK so many people might say that but in my case you have to undestand my DAD if that is at all possible. You see he is the stong silent type and I know too that that can be considered a cliche but again you need to understand my Dad.

He is built beautifully, he has the greatest physique and at almost 71 he can still put my brothers and BIL to shame. He has the greatest pecs, fabulous shoulders and biceps LOL. I have never seen him not be able to lift something and to tell you the truth I get my physical strength from him. He looks like an older James Dean only better...at least in my opinion. But beyond that it is so much more. You see my Dad is illerate and definately not proudly so. So much that I was, I think in my early teens before I really understood that he was. It was a carefully guarded secret that he did not want to share with his children. It became apparent to me that he wanted so much more for us.

For the longest time I believed that my Dad owned his own helicopter - why wouldn't I, he would come home from work in one LOL. I also thought that he finished grade 13. Funny thing is that until my High School years the Newfoundland System only went to grade 11. My Dad had a hard life, he quit school before grade 3 and began to work in the woods in Newfoundland. He is the type of man that even to this day would and could put 12 hours of work into an 8 hour day. He had many jobs but was always a stable and steadfast kinda character. When us 4 kids were small my Dad always worked away from home on Survey jobs wanting to do the best he could for us. But when I was 3 years old - as my Mom tells it - he came home one weekend and seemed to look at his family in a different way, realizing that we were all growing up and he was missing it all. He quit that job to take one close to home. Very likely for lesser pay and benefits. He became my best freind and would take me everywhere with him. From joy riding on the ski-doo to rabbit hunting. I have had many adventures with my Dad. There were times when money and food was scarce but we always had something to eat and clean clothes to wear and a roof over our heads - our roof. HE would never take charity and refused any sort of assistance - even though I am sure we qualified. We always had fun - he was a fun Dad to have. At one point he decided that he wanted us kids to experience camping and so our first camping adventures started out in an old parachute as a tent - no idea where that came from LOL and as the years passed level after level we eventually graduated to a cottage. Which we still have and I love it.

But there is still more you see as my Dad is the type of man who would and does offer assistance to anyone and everyone but will usually never ask for it. My Dad is not a religious man yet he refuses to say a bad thing about anyone and has always challenged us kids to be the better person and step above another's treatment. He chooses not to retailate but calmly states that "I will live just as long!" My Dad is a very dignified kind of person but don't get me wrong he is not stuffy and boring in fact he is the complete opposite. He is fun, a mischief maker, a grand story teller, an adventurer and generally game for just about anything. He is respectful and caring but he is not emotional - in fact I believe I was an adult before he actually could articulate "I love You".

He has stood beside me in my life decisions, just wanting me to be happy - he accepts Me! He is someone I can look up to and respect!

He is without a doubt has been my first love and my greatest love.


He is My Hero, He is my Dad!!!!

2.5 LBS!!!

Well not what I had expected but this week I lost 2.5 lbs!!! I am on a goal for a healthier & fitter me. So my goal is 2lbs a week up to the 1st week of June so If I can stick with it I should be 35+lbs lighter for the summer.

I was expecting a bit more this past week because it was my starter week but I have to admit that I didn't stick with it 100%. I have been going to Curves and doing 185 sit-ups every other night. I am drinking my water but I am having trouble getting in the whole 8 glasses every day - man my bladder is tired LOL.

So in light of this I expect I will BLOG at least once a week as I document my progress. Please send positive healthy eating vibes my way!!!:o)

20 years ago today...

...at the tender age of 20 I married! Can't believe that it has been that long already - WOW where have all the years gone? As with any marriage there have been the highs and lows but the lows have always made us stronger in our relationship. I am happy to say that the man I married I still love and he can still make my heart skip a beat. We have two fabulous children together, our own home (shared with the bank LOL) and with the grace of God many years yet to look forward to!!!

Happy 20th Anniversary Ra'ed

Tagged Again!!!LOL

One way to get me to post eh Marlene? Thanks hon I really do enjoy these tags as it gets me to actually write things!!!

Four jobs you’ve had in your life:
- Junior Exective @ Chateau Laurier
- Administrator
- Trail Blazer for Cross Country Skiing Trails
- Sales associate for a ladies clothing store

Four places I have lived:
- Pasadena NFLD.
- Ottawa, Ont.

Four movies you would watch over and over:
- Sound of Music
- Jurassic Park 1, 2 & 3
- ?
- ?

Four TV shows you love to watch:
- CSI - ALL
- General Hospital
- Grey's Anatomy
- Lost

Four places you have been on vacation:
- Mexico
- Texas
- Calgary
- Quebec City

Four websites you visit daily:
- Scrapping Buddies
- Scraptivity
- Ebay
- Various Blogs

Four of your favorite foods:
- Mexican
- Indian
- Middle Eastern
- Italian

Four places you would rather be right now:
- in NFLD with my parents
- Somewhere scrapping without interruptions
- in Kuwait with my Sister-in-law
- On a tropical with my DH with no one else around


Four bloggers you are tagging:
- Katie
- Kim
- Sonya S. She hasn't updated her Blog in ages LOL
- ?

Getting ready for a Fresh Start

Well it is under 60 minutes before we ring in the New Year, reflecting on 2005 is kinda weird as it is really my first time to really stand back a take stock of how the year went. It was definately a busy year with Z's play groups and activities. A's school, soccer & obsession with X Box and DH's business trips. Then there was the crazy summer we had with surprise visits from my family, family from overseas, summer camps our trip to the rock and then back to school full time for both kids.

Here I was thinking I would have some time for me but it just isn't working out that way. DH has decided he needs me at his office so I am doing what I can plus the usual. I have been attempting to carve out my own time with scrapping and curves but it has been somewhat of a struggle. I am now able to go on Field Trips with both kids and I have also been volunterring at the school - teaching scrapbooking as part of art class. That has been an adventure LOL.

Now there is the newest development of MIL moving in with us. Not sure yet if it is to be long term and that decision will definately have to be hers. It's great that she can spend more time with my kids and help them and myself with arabic but I am expecting it is also going to add more to my little time as well. I will leave that alone and let it work out for itself.

All in all 2005 was a good year but I think I will work at 2006 being a much better, and more productive year.

To all my scrappin' pals - So glad I got to meet and scrap with many of you and looking forward to getting together with more in the coming year.

Wishing you all health Happiness and prosperity in the coming year!!!

Here's a summary of 2005 Lifted from my Dear Friend Barb!!! Thanks Barb :o)

Major events/happenings:
1. Trip to NFLD to see my family
2. Family from Kuwait for the Summer
3. Break Up of my oldest Brothers Marriage
4. RIS Conference & Concert
5. Sister moves back home so much farther away from me

Regrets:
1. Spending too much time online
2. Procrastinating in my weight loss program yet again
3. Not being as organized as I would like
4. Wishing my sister and her family lived closer
5. Being short tempered a lot more than usual

New things I've done:
1. Started a blog
2. Started working at DH's office - not sure how I feel about that yet LOL
3. Joined Curves and totally loving it
4. Made some wonderful scrapping friends
5. Attended all Field Trips for my kids - I can do that now that both are at school full time.

Passionate about:
1. My Family
2. Scrapbooking
3. Gardening
4. Shopping
5. Sleep LOL

Too much/many:
1. Clutter but have been working on that - Goodwill/Consignment Shops here I come LOL
2. Time spent online
3. Pieces of the kids art and paper from the school - Thinking I am going to put all I REALLY want to keep in a binder and allow them 1 binder per year!
4. Black clothing in my closet
5. popsicles - left over from the summer

Wishes for 2006:
1. A healthier and fitter me
2. Happy kids
3. Healthy family
4. Date nights with DH
5. A Baby? not so sure about that yet LOL
6. Work more on reading arabic and the Qu'ran

An Emotional Time....

Well as you know I spent the Christmas weekend in TO and I got the chance to do a bit of Christmas giving of my own. On the 24th after we finished up at the Conference, while I was waiting for my DH to return I decided to call my oldest brother who happens to be going through a rough time right now - seperated and on the way to divorce from his wife of 17 years.

Anyway he is on his own and definately finding it difficult at this time of year. I decided that we would go and see him as he is in the GTA. I didn't previously tell him I would be in the area as it was unclear if I could make it and I didn't want to upset him. Well, when I called and dropped the bomb that I was coming there was such a heavy silence I am sure you could have knocked him over with a feather. I heard the catch in his voice as he struggled to keep it all together. After I got the directions to his new place I hung up and we prepared to go out for dinner and head to his house. BTW food ended upbeing Indian LOL. So off we go to Brampton. I refused to go to his house empty handed (we only give to the kids now) So I make DH search out a Shoppers where I promptly dropped some $60.00 in Christmas goodies.

When I get to his apartment and unload my stuff I give my dear big brother a huge hug and ask him if he was ok? His answer.... "I am now that you are here" Talk about your heart squeeze!!!! Little did I know that after I had spoken to him he had called my Mother and the floodgates opened. He was so excited and emotional that I would take the time away from the conference to visit him on Christmas Eve. Mom told me that he had said if I had told him I couldn't drive to Brampton he would have drove downtown to see us. Ahhhh DB I do love you and so wish that you weren't going through all this crap!!!

Well I am almost through....

...yet another Christmas, and I am actually surviving it ok. I think it helps that I am not at home this year. We decided to take in an Islamic Conference in TO and to tell you the truth it is just what the Dr. ordered. LOL

Kick that meloncholy in the butt I say. I am not running from my feelings in fact I discuss it quite openly - emotions and all with DH and he is very understanding and supportive. So much to the point that he is willing for me to go home for the Holidays. Funny thing is I don't really want to because there is so much more of me that isn't Christmas as well. Somethimes I just don't understand what I am feeling myself so how do I explain it, or put it into words?

Anyway, I am really enjoying the Conference with the varied topics and the shopping in the Grand Souk, so far I spent more than I intended.. as usual LOL. Right now I am waiting for DH to get back to the hotel so we can drive around TO looking for a place to have dinner LOL me thinks it will be Indian or Malay for dinner. After that I think we will got see my oldest brother for a bit.

To all my dear friends who celebrate Christmas - I wish you all the very best and beauty of the season, I hope you have your dreams fulfilled. I hope you all are blessed with peace, health and happiness in the coming New Year.

I also hope we can get together real soon to Scrap!!!!:o)

Love to you all - I feel so blessed to have met so many wonderful Scrappin friends over the past year!!!

Sorry I have been MIA for posting on my Blogg...

But I kinda get meloncholy this time of year and try really hard to fight it. Despite the fact that I truly believe in Islam and being Muslim there is still a small part of my heart that misses the beauty, hype and sense of family that was Christmas for me.

It seems to be a bit of a struggle each year, some years more than others.

Don't get me wrong, I love being Muslim and wouldn't change it for a minute but sometime don't you just want to have it all? Yeah selfish I know but oh well!!!

So what else is going on with me at the moment???? Trying to keep my sanity! LOL My kids are home for the break so been busy entertaining them. Yesterday we took in Chicken Little - cute movie but could be a little scary for little munchkins! Today I am still debating on baking with them or a craft. Will see how the morning progresses.

NOW I know why.....

some animals eat their young!!!!

LMAO Ok I promise I won't eat them but I was pretty darn close yesterday I can tell you that. My dear kids had a PD day yesterday, ok Monday is bad enough as it is but throw a PD day on top of it and #$&?!#^ !!!! I had to go to Costco, I needed to get food so off we go but before leaving the house I did read the riot act to them! I promised them YES we could look at the toys but NO they couldn't buy anything!! Cripes it is only a month ago that they had a big holiday with gifts, what more do they want? DS wasn't so bad when it came to asking for toys DD was a totally other story - everything she wanted - I mean EVERYTHING!!! And it make it all worse we have another holiday coming up in January!!!

Besides the nagging for the toys they were at each other constantly, picking and annoying, whatever they could think of. Trips like this totally remind me why I never go shopping with my kids. My blood pressure, I am sure went throught the roof and I think I turned into Nasty Mom. I hate Nasty Mom, she is just not a nice person and not fun to be around. I don't want my kids to remember Nasty Mom at all!! OK rant over the kids are in school today and I can be nice again but oh no, wait....they will be home for 2 weeks starting the 16th AKKKKKKKKKKKKKk insantity here I come!!!!

Thinking I gotta get me a big master plan and a lotta $$ to keep them entertained for those 2 weeks... other than the movies and the museums anybody have any ideas???? All help muchly appreiated!!!

Ever Wonder about Doctors???

So I have this stupid infection below the skin on my jaw. I take myself off to the Doc on Tuesday to have it treated, my own Doc is off on that day so I see another at her office. He gives me a prescription and tells me to use cold compresses (I was previously using hot on my own knowledge) Ok so he is supposed to know what is right...right???? Well not so right, nothing was happening, the infection should have shown signs of disappating after 6 doses but that wasn't happening, off to see my own Doc today, she prescribes a totally different drug and tells me to use hot compresses...what the *&()*&%*^%$&^#!!!! So now I am $70.00 out and still have a face from some horror movie!!!! Ok gotta be an upside right? Gotta see the glass half full is my philosophy so I have already taken some of the new meds and already am feeling a difference!!!

I think we need to revamp the medical system to be able reclaim $$ spent on mis-diagnosis!!!

PAIN!!!! Don'tcha hate it!!!!

So I have this stupid infection under the skin on my jaw. I am not normally a whinner and can usually tolerate pain to a certain extent but gosh I tell you this is knocking me out. The only visible factor of this infection is that I look like I have the Hunch Back of Notre Dame's back sitting on my jaw!!!! :o( I am now on antibiotics but I guess it will take 48 hours for there to be any noticable effect. Crap it hurts, I can barely open my mouth...guess that is a good thing for my diet LOL. Besides the meds, I am downing advil to combate the pain, last night I decided I couldn't handle it so I went off to lala land with some demerol. Weird thing is that not only is in painful but it also has a burny feeling to it. I hate not feeling well - certainly makes you think about people who live their lives with chronic pain!!!

BTW it is HUMP day !!!! Yeahhhhhh Have a great day!!!!

Scrappin' with friends...

Is always a blast!!!! I wish I could do it a whole lot more. Not that I get a whole lot accomplished mind you LOL but it is always fun to get together to see what friends are doing, see what is in their stash and to share(snort, snort lmao)!!!! Got together with some dear friends on Friday (a few couldn't make it :o( ) But we still had a good time. Hoping to do it again in the near future!!!

TAGGED......AGAIN!!!!!

By the self confessed human... Barb!!! LOL Love ya hon

Ok 5 Random Facts about me

1. I am a closet Romance book reader but not as bad as I used to be!!!
2. I am a horrible procrastinator and will get things done under pressure!
3. I love chocolate, especially orange and mint flavors
4. I covered my hair under my own steam, in fact Ra'ed had no clue that I was going to do it!
5. I spend far too much time on the computer!

OK now who to Tag this time....I am limited as I don't know a whole lot of BLOGGERS yet.....Hmmmm MARLENE you it!!!!!

ANYONE......?

...Care to tell me why I have this empty space instead of having my sidebar beside my posts????? Can't seem to figure what I have done wrong!

....AND to Top It All OFF......

We spent 3.5 hours at CHEO last night :o( !!!

Ok so everything seemed ok, Zaynab had the sniffles, nothing right? I taught Scrapbooking to the grade 8 class yesterday afternoon and the kids got to be car kids instead of bus kids for the afternoon. Then we had a plan...Bobba is still away on business so we would goof off...McD's for an early dinner then off to Blockbuster for some movies and munchies and then home. 20 minutes to tidy up, everybody in their jammies and then we settle in for a night of movies.

Simple right???
Well not to be....

...Zaynab started to complain about her left ear around 6:30pm and at 7pm I gave her some Tylenol - Never fails...if my kids are going to get an ear infection it has to have 2 criteria:

1) be at night and
2) on the weekend.

I figured that this was just the start of it so maybe we could last until the morning when I would take her to the clinic....ear infection had other plans!!! :o(.

She slept fitfully for a bit, then the pain I guess got so intense that she couldn't rest and was crying so much there was no calming her. So we all get dressed to head to CHEO...OOPs stop on the way out the door for the little monkey to throw up - YUK!!!

Then off to CHEO we go :o( ......lucky me!!!...an emergency came in just before we got there and then 2 more in the span of time it took for us to get registered. When I finally got inside to do the actual registration, wrist band and parking slip I managed to mention the clinic in the back.

I have a suspecion that not everyone knows about it so they don't always offer it. Anyway poor Zaynab was crying so much that it just added creadence to my comment. So we sit for all of 5 minutes and then get summoned to the clinic. Of course we still have to wait a while but hey, at least it is not out in the main room where God knows what kind of germs are coming in! Also we were the only ones waiting in the waiting room. I figure this is a big ear infection cause my kids magicaly seem to feel better once they haul my butt out in the middle of the night to go to CHEO!!!

Once inside, they do the usual - Nurse..., wait...,Advil..., wait..., Med Student..., wait..., Doctor..., wait..., Confirmation of what I already knew..., wait..., codine..., wait..., prescription..., then we are off!!!

Ok off we go now to the drug store to fill said prescriptions. It is heading for midnight so I am hoping to get there on time...I do...BUT both kids are asleep in the car...CRAP, ok I leave them and run into the pharmacy, put in the prescription, gotta wait at least 15 minutes. So I run out to check on my kids...alll is ok. I run back in to get other cough & cold medicine. Can't stand being caught without it!! Ok run back to the car, check on the kiddies. Abdullah knew that I would do this if they fell asleep. He is almost 10 so I figure I can do it, even though it makes me panic. I believe I made at least 4 trips to my car in the span of 15 minutes, while waiting for the prescription!

So we go home, get the kids in the house and Zaynab off to bed. After all the meds you would think I would be able to get some of the sleep I was looking forward to. I usually don't sleep well when Ra'ed is away - I am not nervous or afraid - just can't seem to get my butt to bed at a decent hour! Well that was not to be either! Zaynab was up every hour AKKKK!! couldn't breath, needed to pee, pain started to increase etc. Medicated her as much as I could safely do so but this was an ear infection that blew up very quickly so I am guessing it was extra painful!

Ok breath Debbie, Ra'ed is due to be home around dinner time - relief is in sight - phone rings 7:30am - missed the flight - CRAAAAAP!!! can't get a flight until tomorrow!!! Thanks a bunch Ra'ed- couldn't you just read the itenary??? I tell him of my wonderful night, he sympathizies but it is out of his hands right now. Hang up, go back to sleep, phone rings again - managed to get another flight with a partner airline will be home earlier than the original ticket... AKKKK the house is a mess and I am exhausted...so I rack him over the coals for now coming home!!! Poor guy he is confused I am sure...a bad case of damned if you do , damned if you don't LOL!!!

Ok Zaynab falls back to sleep, I give Abdullah instructions on how his morning is to proceed while I sleep for about 2 hours. Time to get up and put the house back together - that's what happens when you do for 4 days what husbands think SAHMS do all day!!!LOL Got it all done, Zaynab slept through most of it - poor little monkey, it is a bad infection cause the ear is actually oozing this time!

OK so he is home Thank God - hopefully things will at least feel less stressful but guess what he is doing? yup that's right....sleeping!!! Oh the life of a man!!!!