eid mubarak! [blessed festival]

Tradition is synonymous with family - and I am always overwhelmed days before one - because I know what's coming. The celebration always leaves me breathless - because we've etched new memories into our family's history. And in the moments or days that follow, I am overwhelmed again - for being blessed with these new memories to look back at year after year. Each new occasion that invites us to celebrate a tradition - we are reminded of that special bond that exists between families...

Eid ul-fitr is one such tradition where Muslim families and their communities come together to mark the end of four weeks of Ramadan and the sighting of a new moon. We pray. We feast. We gather in the company of our elders and are grateful.

I grew up enjoying the festivities of Eid with food, dance and playing with my cousins. We received gifts or money - which was always spent before the week's end. Each year was different from the one before. There were years where I didn't understand its purpose - and drew away. And then there were years where I fasted for 30 days and concentrated only on my faith and direction. By reflecting on all those years past, I cherish how it has accumulated to what it is today.... And I am in awe of the spirit of tradition and how it ties us all together - divinely.

With the blessings of Ava and Noah, I am humbled by the opportunity to continue this tradition as my parents did for us. And honored to create new ones as unique as our own family.



We read My First Ramadan, a children's book that beautifully illustrates the simplicity and love within the religious holiday, and stories from the Koran nightly. We drew pictures, ate dates, and became more conscious of the food we consumed. And before we knew it, a new moon was sighted - and Eid was here.

The traditional Afghan dress my father brought back for Ava from his trip to Afghanistan was finally fitted - and a local trip to the international market for accessories and gifts for the kids were completed.

We celebrated at my parents house with traditional Afghan food, and of course, "eidies." I wrapped the children's gifts in their artwork and filled tubes of wrapping paper with candies, dancing sticks and bangles [yes, we even got Sophia a set]. The night was memorable - and once again... breathtaking.











This year we have beautiful Sophia, their newest cousin, joining the festivities of our family and faith. Our children may be too small to ebrace the religious scope of the holiday, but they are full of life, love, and gratitude for one another...which to me, are derivatives of Ramadan.







Eid Mubarak to all the little ones who are celebrating for the first time... and to everyone else around the world with fond memories of their childhood traditions with family.

the art of time

We made it! After attending our first Antique show this past April, I knew I had to go back. Miles and miles of treasures, art, old and new... and getting lost in conversation with people from all over...

I brought my Mom with me for some overdue Mother/Daughter time, and although I see her every week, it was the one-on-one time of us laughing that made me feel so special to be her daughter. Our drive down south on Monday was filled with stories about her childhood, summer vacations, and raising me and my sisters... we talked about marriage, religion, and the wonders of future plans. Our jaws hurt by the time we arrived at our B&B. The first night we shared a room, we felt like college roommates - flat on our stomachs stretched across our beds from each other... talking on our cell phones to friends and family - with our legs waving in the air... we ate what ever we wanted, and took breaks as a new story surfaced. It was a fantastic 2 days of having her all to myself - leaving me wondering, why I don't do this more often.

We ventured out the first day and walked up and down the streets of Warrenton - weaving inbetween aisles and aisles of booths containing people's collectibles, antiques... and junk.

I saw many familiar faces - thanks to my legs for memorizing my favorite booths - including my favorite vendor, Crystal Greer, who runs an eccelctic shop of vintage jewelry, recycled furniture, her own art work, and pieces of this and that...

Instantly she recognized me, and we were able to pick up right where we left off 6 months ago. We chatted like school girls, giggling and gossiping underneath a tent in a backyard. We have nothing and everything in common - a Mom of 6 children and wife of a preacher - she opened up her own boutique in Houston to fulfill her dreams. I was excited to see her booth - and admire her artwork. She said she painted more than 100 canvases for this show, and on the first day, an Art Gallery came through and bought 70 of them.

The fact of the matter is - everyone places a personal value on their perception. To me, art is in everything - and its how it resonates within each of us - igniting our best selves that makes it artful. Art is even in the way we do things - like raising a family [smile]. I found Greer's faceless artwork peaceful - and was happy to purchase 2 more to complement the children's paintings at home. Everytime I pass by their artwork, I bubble over. And have a better day... remembering the brush strokes that made Ava or Noah squint, curious, and messy....you can't even begin to put a price tag on this feeling...

The sun's rays slowed us down - but not as much as the southern hospitality. I will never forget the beautiful Texan woman, donned in a black cowboy hat and red lipstick who shared her life & death story during a search for a mall - in Italy. And I told her about my travels to Italy, my bond with my mother, and the family I was raising back home. Cultured, smart, and a loving mother - she strung a few chords with me that we hugged and kissed good-bye...

It is all of these moments - more than the shopping - that will keep me going back... and then racing home again to be with my favorite artists of all time.

welcome sophia!

My beautiful niece has arrived! And congratulations to Humzah for becoming a big brother. Ava, now accustomed to being an older sibling [officially last month since Noah moved into her room] gave Humzah some genuine experienced pointers.

First, kiss the baby and say Hi.
Secondly, get a piece of chocolate to celebrate the occasion... before it's all gone.

We're all excited and blessed to have this angel come into our lives. Oh how we forget how tiny they really are. Ava has been wondering if she can play with her... and asked if Sophia will be her friend.

Oh - she's so much more I tell her. She's like your sister... and you do everything together... just like Mommy and your Aunt Wagma.

With all our love, welcome home Sophia!

last days of summer

Our backyard is changing before our eyes - Our pink and white crepe myrtles left before saying good-bye and the overgrown vines took residence - since we abandoned swimming in the pool some time ago to notice its growth. I went into the backyard for fresh air after the rain, and accepted my invitation from Fall. We can't help feeling anxious and yet... a little reluctant about our annual guest. Our sweet tooths will miss their summer friends of coconut gelatos, chocolate milk shakes, pink cotton candy or icy pops.



But I guess we're willing to trade these for hot cocoa, funnel cakes, and pecan pie for awhile. And spending more time outdoors swinging, biking, or walking to the park. Trips to the zoo will be comfortable now, and picnics a little less warm on our backs. We've had an incredibly hot summer this year, with memories that will carry it to the next. And as long as we can bring those swim goggles inside during bath time - we're good to go.





Fall... we look forward to your visit with us... soon.

pssst - I've been posting new but old stories and dating them as they occured - so you'll have to scroll through the posts below to capture them. Unless you're already an email subscriber to my feed - then you have all the new stories written [hint, hint.] If you missed 'em, here they are: making new friends, day trip: fossil rim, in love with handmade, oldie but goodie, big red, is it art?, the making of brownies and new chefs in the kitchen, and finally, more than just a ride.

Whew - it's been a busy blogging week.... xo

celebration

Ava & Noah went to their Great Grandma Agnes' birthday party tonight, and enjoyed satisfying their sweet palates of youth, while Grandma Agnes sat between them and sweetened her palate of almost a century of wonderful moments... and telling us whole heartedly, that they were all full of blessings.



After putting the kids to bed and making sure Ava brushed really good, I went through old photos I had scanned years ago when she let me borrow her album. I still can't help but wonder about the events that transpired when these photos were taken 60-70 years ago - each face expression telling a different story...


When I first visited her and Bill in Kansas in 2001, I discovered a globe in their living room where Afghanistan was circled with a sharpie. Strange I thought - did they buy it like this? It turned out that when they learned their grandson was marrying an Afghan, they were curious about my heritage - and didn't want to forget before they got the chance to meet me. How wonderfully considerate I thought - as I myself had become accustomed to calling myself an American since my roots were transplanted here when I was very young. It just never seemed to come up in conversation with others ... so this one simple gesture on their part made me instantly feel proud of belonging to a country across the other side of the globe. I stared at Afghanistan carefully circled on the blue globe, and remember smiling at myself - then at them for taking the time to learn this truth. It was a priceless moment and lesson I will never forget.

Nor will I forget tonight, where I watched my children be a part of the celebration - of family - and generations coming together to honor where they came from...

Thank You

The summer days have swam by us without us even getting wet. Our pool sweeper is the only thing that reminds us we have one in the backyard. Each night when the timer goes off, the rattling of the machines kick me in the head – another night Ava hasn’t grown the gills I promised she would by summer’s end. The shovels stand upright, the castle molds lay on their sides – the sandbox looks like a miniature desert – crossed only by lizards and mosquitoes buzzing overhead.

Much of summer has been spent indoors: painting, singing new songs, and venturing around town for art exhibits and crafts. It seems like our hours are never enough.

September has already made its presence – well, on the calendar board at least. Until the weather catches up, I am anxious for the whimsy that comes with fall and all its golden colors. I’m ready to let go of what I haven’t achieved this summer, and start thinking about what we will do with hot cocoa in our hands.

There’s just something about this transitioning month that puts all timely must-do’s into perspective. And I love it.

It’s good to be back online blogging again – I’ve missed you so much. And all the wonderful posts you genuinely stream back to me. I received a special post from my Portugal friend a few weeks ago that reminded me how important this blog is and the friendships that have been connected because of it. Thank you Ze for that sweet reminder of what this blog means to you. And thank you Julie, for your loving advice that helped me cool down enough to enjoy the summer.

I'd like to still include some of the events as they happened and share those moments with you. I've dated the stories back to the summer... as [or close to] they happened. So please scroll back a few chapters in the next couple of days to read about them.

And like the foliage of fall, thank you all for waiting... so beautifully...

Here we go....

making new friends

Back in February, in the midst of preschool scouting confusion, I came upon the notion of trying a Mother's Day Out program where there were no waiting lists. Just one day - first come first serve.

Aaron laughed. But when the sign-up date rolled around, he left the house at 4:45 that morning [even though they didn't open until 8] with breakfast and a long book to read [most likely filled with conspiracies]. When he arrived, he discovered that he was the fifth person in line. With our deposits handed over, we still held our breath for the da vinci - and since that didn't come to pass - we found ourselves the last weekend of August starting to scramble for dear life... "are we really going to do this?"

Apparently so. Because Ava no doubt is shy. But she thinks everyone is her friend. We'll be at the grocery store, library, or drive-thru and Ava will ask out loud, "Mommy, is she my friend?"

"Yes, Ava. Of course she is. Say hi..." and then we wave together.

She needs social entertainment - for play and learning. I've conceded to this fact. On the other hand, what worries me the most are the pushing, pulling or biting incidents that may occur when there's more than one toddler in a room. I know, I know.. it will inevitably happen - and the teachers may or may not see it. [sigh]

So I decided to stop dwelling on the whatifs and get with the program. Like buying new shoes....



Oh how I love the children's dept at Nordstrom. Simply for the fact that they have excellent customer service - and patience. Imagine fitting 6 pairs of sneakers between two wiggly toddlers? And by wiggly, I mean having to chase Ava and wrestle Noah to sit still long enough for our salesman to measure their feet, cover them in cotton and lace each pair. The chasing didn't begin until we asked them to stand up and walk around to test how it feels. They just wouldn't come back....

Onto the next challenge: finding a backpack without Dora, Ariel, or Thomas' head on it. And although I consider myself crafty - I didn't dare try this time. I finally scored mini-adult backpacks [for airport travel] and opted to use these instead. Then I found myself driving across town in search of nap mats... yes, I'm afraid I'm serious.

Napmats can be found online for a hefty price - or at specialty shops - who order them online... This would have been much easier if I prepared for all of this at the beginning of summer. But it's the night before, and getting all the items on their list of things to bring was trivial - not to mention - stressful.

I tried the camping aisle at Target and found 2 youth bags - and snatched it. It was finally coming together... for the big day....



I keep having to remind myself that this isn't really a "school" - it's just a practice run for preschool. This is just playtime - and Ava gets to see her "friends" twice a week, and Noah just once. The great part is that their rooms are adjacent to each other - and they have gym at the same time - so they can play together too - ok, this is where I cry...

And wonder if I'm doing the right thing. When Ava attended camp for one week, I was a complete mess. This wasn't as bad - but yet - it was. Because her little brother was [gulp] tagging along.



And being the big sister she was meant to be - she carried his lunch all the way to school... I mean, playtime. Watching Ava & Noah together is like watching a symphony in action - we feel everything. They play. They share. They follow. They fight. They console and they hug - each other.

But today, Ava is on a quest to make new friends. Hoping someone in her class will ask first, "Mom, is she my friend?"

And Ava would readily respond, "oh yes! I always have been."

day trip: fossil rim

I love the outdoors. This place is soo big.



Noah? Are you asleep? Psst... wake up. You're not going to believe it, but there are giraffes over there... aren't those your favorite? Pssst....



Fine. Nevermind. I wish I could see it closer, I've always wanted to touch a zebra.



Ummmm... I don't know where I am or what a zebra is, but this is fun!



Ok kids. We're making a quick pit stop to the petting zoo.

Cool. Mom - I'll take this one.



I'll hold out for something better. Do I have to touch it?

Ava, we are at a petting zoo. Pet.

Here's a brush... Now you're technically not touching it...



Noey - weren't you scared of those goats?

Who, me? Nah...



Humzi - come with me - Noah thinks he's a wildlife expert now...

Wait! Wait for me! Buddy, she's probably taking you to go see butterflies.



So what'd you guys think? Nice huh? and worth the drive all the way out to Glen Rose...

Glen Rose - Are you kidding me? I'm ready to take on Africa.

Mom - do you see what I have to put up with?

Yes, we do Ava - and you're the luckiest big sister to have to protect him. So I guess that means you're going to Africa one day too...

in love with handmade

A surprise package arrived for Ava - from ARGENTINA! We ordered her more of Julie's fabulous handmade clothing, and it was nothing short of absolute sweetness... Beginning with her signature tissue paper Ava tore out of the box, drawings from Julie's daughter, Zoe, tumbled out. Personalized and thoughtful, Zoe drew Noah a "bug" which resembled very much like a centipede I thought, and many "moons" for Ava, with a special message noting it was for the Moon Beam Academy! - which is the name [inspired by your comments] of the new "school" Ava attends at home [big SMILE]. More on that later...







The skirt, adorned with a hand embroidered moon and star, is a brown linen trimmed with a matching gingham check - the perfect uniform for Ava's MBA don't you think? So we had to steal this one from her online store right away...

After the initial surprise wore off, she was ready to go - in other words, make the most of playtime and build tall towers while king kong was napping. So I did - but not before tying the beautiful smock on her. I love the playfulness this fabric already exudes ... the little bow that forms in the back... and the front center pocket made to hold secret treasures... no bigger than a marshmallow or two...



That same week, a surprise package came for me this time - from PORTUGAL! And my heart swelled up - for many reasons: Like the grand thoughtfulness of Zelia, a new friend I met from this blog, to go out of her way to hand write me a letter, buy me Portugal fabric and pencils - and send them to me along with tips on how to create Una-na handmade dolls of my own - which I adore so much.






The romantic European fabric made my head spin thinking about all the beautiful things they could be instead... And I just couldn't help but picture Zelia handwriting my letter one night before sealing the package. What was I doing the exact same time I wonder? There's just something extra special about handwritten letters from afar... the time to write down cascading thoughts... the distance of travel across land and water...and the countless people that handled it before dropping it in my mailbox... wow!

All of it simply reminded me of how powerful our hands are - and how they create and move the worlds between each one of us...

Do you have a favorite handmade piece? I'd love to know...

oldie but goodie

I remember record players from my childhood - which wasn't THAT long ago, but it was - considering how far music playing has come: 8-tracks, cassettes, CDs, and now Mp3s ... We used them in grade school to listen to books with our eyes closed. Our Reading teacher would drag the large brown suitcase-looking box from room to room with the electric cord dangling like a tail from behind. Since then, I've only seen them at garage sales, used book stores and specialty shops - where they were usually framed to acknowledge the greatest musicians of all time.

I can appreciate modernism and the simplfying of gadgets so that we can do more in less time [like having a thousand songs to choose from inside of a machine the size of our palms. ] But who needs a thousand when you just need one to play while jumping on the bed before bedtime? Or in the afternoon, when all the kids want to do is sprawl on the ground and fill their imaginations through their ears...

So, we set out on a mission to get the kids a record player - Ebay turned up zelch - and on an unexpected trip for diapers to ToysRUs, Aaron discovered one - in pink! With no records to play, Aaron called 3 Half-Price Books locations before finding one that had the record The Sound of Music [from 1965] in stock. He picked it up along with a few Disney collections [Mary Poppins] and brought them home for us to start spinning.

And oh we did.... one Chim Chimmery Chim Chim at a time....

big red

Nee-nah, nee-nah - that's the sound we echo every time big red charges through the neighborhood. The children's fascination with firetrucks is no wonder. We're curious too. Our wooden model at home just isn't the same.

So we wondered - what would it take for us to visit a firehouse? Try on a fire fighter's hat? Or maybe.... even meet one? Do we have to be apart of a school group? Make reservations?....

The questions left us content for now as we figured the kids will go one day when they're older and in school. But leave it to Dynamo-Dad Aaron who wanted to experience this for himself with the kids first. So on this typical afternoon, while on a mission to complete the weekly errands with the kids out of the house while I worked, he decided to stop by a firehouse and find out about tours.

Lieutenant Campbell of station #28 explained that anyone can get a tour. He just needs to know how many kids and for what date.

Aaron, holding both kids in his arms responded, "Um. Just two. And how about now?”

The Lieutenant smiled. It was as if it was Christmas morning for the kids. They grinned bashfully but curiously. He flashed the lights, let their small hands graze over the buttons, and even try on his helmet.





The tour was cut short at the sound of a siren – when an emergency was called in. The kids hopped off and saw the firemen jump into the truck. They waved to the lieutenant good-bye and in unison sang, “nee-nah, nee-nah” while watching them swoosh down the street.

What I love about this afternoon is how spontaeous it turned out to be. Sometimes lazy afternoons doing nothing can turn out to be the best one yet. And when the kids came home to tell me about it, they each sang "nee-nah, nee-nah" with so much more excitement. This was such a terrific learning opportunity, and I am humbled that station #28 thought so too.

More on Big Red:
To find a firehouse near you, search the site by zip code and call or drive by to experience the nee-nah up close. And for some great reads you can find at the library:

Fire! Fire! by Gail Gibbons
Fire Truck by Ivan Ulz
Maisy’s Fire Engine by Lucy Cousins
The Fire Engine Book by Tibor Gergely
The Little Fire Engine by Lois Lenski

is it art?

For the past two decades, I have lived in Dallas believing there was "nothing to do" here except watch movies and eat. That is, until I went prego and my mommy radar was fine tuned into locating family events around town. Each weekend, a handful of new ideas adorn the city calendars - and it's always hard to choose. So we try to catch a city highlight now and then just to try something new in an old corner of our city. Like this weekend. I'd probably never go on my own - but I did after discovering that every first Saturday of the month from 10am to 2pm, the Nasher Sculpture Center opens its doors for families to explore, connect, and nurture their artistic passions.

We missed the art activity - but made it just in time for the scavenger hunt. Which again, forced us to do something we wouldn't normally do - like take notice. So we did. And noticed how each earthly element the artist manifested into a person, shape, or idea.







We found all the scangener clues and received a stuffed Target dog as a prize. The kids loved it. Afterwards, we joined the family tour guide on her quest to show us the exhibits as how they were meant to be questioned. Pablo had us intrigued - how many faces do you see? Is he happy or sad? she asked the group. Great questions to get our little ones thinking about the lines on our faces and how they evoke true or false emotion.



The tour led us straight into storytime. We listened in on the story Go Away Big Green Monster - which was an instant hit with the page turner set.



By this time in the afternoon - the heat was becoming too much. We quickly hid inside and discovered a special blues performance playing in the auditorium. After we cooled long enough, it was time to hit the road. The kids were exhausted and we were thrilled. While older kids may enjoy the experience more, our little toddlers did quite well appreciating the art on display. I was the only one however that got noticed by the exhibit guard for touching the display case [who knew you couldn't?].

So if you're near downtown - and want to expose the kids to questionable "art", visit the Nasher Sculpture center the first Saturday each month for free! Then pickup a pack of sculpting clay on your way home to create a gallery of moods the kids are feeling that day. How fun!