A Journey to a Simple Happy Life

Knights and Pyramids

We took a day trip to my favorite place in New York yesterday: The Metropolitan Museum of Art .

We had a picnic in Central Park. I let the boys each choose one thing they wanted to see: Samy chose the "pyramids" and Tarek "the knights" so we visited the Medieval Art and the Egyptian Art exhibitions.

Tarek was in awe. He loved the knights, armors and guns especially the japanese sections with all the Samurai armor. Samy couldn't wait to get to the "Pyramid". I think he's a bit of minimalist because when I asked him what he thought about the visit he said "There's too much stuff!!".

I loved our outing, it was fun and I think someone loved even more than us: the pigeons and the birds! I think they like homemade bread.

Best Shot Monday: In search of summer

I promise this is the last time I will bore you to death with my vacation pictures. Why do people always feel the need to show you their vacation pictures? I guess it's a way of re-living the experience and extending ones pleasure.

I love this picture of Samy and Layla. Even though technically it's not as good as I wish it could be , I chose it to be my Best Shot Monday. For two reasons, the first one because it's a life lesson in by itself: The best moments in life don't need to be perfect. Perfection is over-rated, just enjoy your life the way it is.

Reason number 2 is that I love how Samy has blossomed lately. He seems to have opened up and taken on his "Big Brother" role rather seriously. His relationship to Tarek is very strong; the two of them are a pair. They are so close in age that Samy used to ask the other kids if they had a Tarek too. Meaning how come you don't have a brother. Layla and Samy were a different story, lots of love there but not much of an interest until lately when they've become each others advocate.

Seeing their relationship blossom and grow stronger each day is such a pleasure.

In Search of Summer: June 5th

I love watching my children learn and experience new textures and sensations!!

What are your plans for the weekend?

In search of Summer: June 3

Going to the shore was such a casual thing for me growing up that I never gave it much thoughts. But by moving away from home one of the things I miss most is walking in the sand and the smell of the sea. As soon as we parked the car and opened the door, Salim said: "Can you smell it?".

I knew exactly what he meant. Yes, I could smell it. The smell of my childhood summers, running freely, the games I shared with friends, the late evenings on the beach, the outside cookouts...

Mary of the Yellow Door Paperie is hosting In Search of Summer now through June 9th. I am excited to see everyone's view of the beauty of summer. Have a wonderful day!

The past weeks

The past couple of weeks have seen too much improvisation: Last minute errands, unplanned visits; not one single visit to the gym,too many chores and not enough crafting.

The past couple of weeks have seen no planning or scheduling; I don’t do well without a plan. So as always when I’m lacking inspiration or energy to do something I got a “new pen”.

Let me explain my “new pen” philosophy. While in college and sometimes afterward in my B.C (before children) life when I lacked inspiration or will to finish a paper or a project I would buy myself a fountain pen. Just a pen? well that was enough to get the creative juices flowing again.

I applied this philosophy to our schedule. I bought myself a “new pen”, to be more precise a beautiful new paper binder. Maybe I was just looking for an excuse to purchase some of Liberty of London goodness but it’s working.

On Sunday, I planned our week. The meals, the activities , outings, cleaning schedule and mommy stuff. It’s a blue print of our week that I use to organize our days.

Planning comes easy to me;the hard part is to find balance between my planning and making time for people and relationships. I sometimes focus too much on my to-do lists, my goals, the things I want to achieve and my frustration rises if I’m not on target.

I once took the Myers-Briggs typology test for a job interview (the crazy stuff you have to do to get a job). I never thought about it  nor imagined that it could be of any help in my daily life until I read this post by Mandi.

I am a task-oriented type of person. I am a planner. I thrive when I check things off my to-do list and get things done. I know now that to find balance is to learn how to step back from a project, an idea or task to consider the needs of my family and the time I’m spending with them.

And as crazy as it may sound, planning helps me achieve that. By planning I can limit the number of tasks, schedule time to focus on relationships and when my tasks are done I can enjoy being with my family without the distraction of things that need to be done.

Are you task-oriented or people oriented?

Birthday Party

 

Yes I did it!! I baked the cake and it was actually pretty good…well a bit lopsided, Salim nicknamed it the Pisa tower but I was really happy it worked out fine.

It didn’t come without some frustration and a bit of swearing but I am proud that Samy got his wish that Mama makes his birthday cake. I used this simple recipe with this frosting and fresh strawberries in between. So much for buying in season fruits and veggies but the birthday boy insisted.

The home baking was one of the steps I decided to take to make a simple birthday party. At home, surrounded with friends, entertained by me (until Papa has fully mastered his magic tricks). I had a ton of ideas fueled by this book and this one. But decided against implementing everything at once to avoid mommy burnout. I am well known for starting huge projects and finishing them with frayed nerves and exhausted. So this time I am taking it one step at a time.

We also used a birthday ring for the first time. We lit up the candles and explained the symbolism of each decoration and then sang happy birthday. I plan on writing a story to incorporate in our next celebrations.

 

Another new tradition is the birthday crown. I wanted to make one ever since I saw it on Soulemama’s blog. I used wool felt that I bought here. I didn’t know the difference between the wool felt and the polyester stuff but you need only to hold in your hands to know it is worth the money. It is so soft and the colors are so beautiful.

I downloaded the pattern from Skip to My Lou but mainly followed the step by step instructions of Nicole at Frontier Dreams.

Here’s about the details of the birthday making. For the rest the children enjoyed playing a pin-the-tail on the donkey game, red light-green light and most of all the bouncy house. We bought a bouncy house 2 years ago and it has become one of our favorite games if the weather gets really bad and the boys need to burn some energy.

These past weeks have been fun between Christmas, the New Year and Samy’s birthday but I am looking forward to a return to our normal rhythm and a day without deadlines.

Happy Birthday and Happy New Year

I’m taking a little break from stitching, baking and sewing for this wonderful little boy to wish you a happy New Year.

I will be posting sometime tomorrow after his birthday party. i can’t wait to share with you all the wonderful thing we did and my resolutions (more of an attack plan) for the new year.

Until then HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Making

I had great plans of showing you everything I made for Christmas, I only overlooked one major detail. A very special boy is turning 5 in 2 days and Mama has a lot of things to finish off for him. I am drawing my inspiration and ideas from Michelle, Skip to my Lou, Grace and many others.

This year we will start a birthday tradition that I hope to carry into the next years and who knows maybe my children will too. So it all takes a lot of planning and making. I promise to share everything with you after the birthday party.

I have everything under control except one thing. The birthday cake!!! Samy requested that Mama “makes” it and he wants a chocolate one. Simple you would think…but I am not a baker, really I have the equivalent of a gardener’s black thumb but in baking. Despite my best efforts my cakes always come out lopsided , charred or undercooked. So if you have an idiot proof recipe, please send it to me and spare me the humiliation ;o)

What do you want for...

      

I always get a phone call a day or two before Christmas or my birthday from my husband. With a desperate tone in his voice and the sound of shoppers all around him “What do you want for Christmas/Birthday?”.

We’ve been dating for 9 years, married for 6 and I always get that phone call. Well except for that one time he got me a D-SLR. He’s a fantastic husband and father with tons of qualities and shopping for gifts is certainly not one of them.

Salim is not a consumer by any means. He never expresses any needs or wants, well except soccer shoes but I usually have to force his hand because the previous pair is beyond repair. I make him buy clothes and shoes and if I wasn’t here to check on the state of his socks and boxers…I don’t even want to imagine that. So for him a trip to the mall is torture.

And I have to admit I have been torturing the poor guy for the past 9 years. Not that I enjoyed it but just because I fancied the idea that my husband should know my tastes. Well after all I blabber talk about my interests all the time.

And because I can’t always come up with an idea for something I wouldn’t buy for myself I decided to start a wish list. I created an account on Wishpot and whenever I come across something I like I add it to my list. And when the holidays or my birthday gets close my poor husband can use it for guidance and inspiration.

I thought I’d share some of the things that I put in this list. I doubt any of them will make it on time under my tree ,but hey, it’s called a wish-list.

A subscription to this magazine.

Top row: This lens, this book or anything from this store.

2nd row: I got this one at library but I would love one for myself, a doodling book just because and a bag to tote everything.

3rd row: Some Ostheimer figurines for the kids, a knitting bag and those beautiful measuring cups.

I will now go back to some memory making, knitting and family time. I will keep this space quiet until the beginning of next week.

Until then I wish you all the merriest of times!!!

Winter Solstice

So the shortest day came
and the year died
And everywhere down the centuries
of the snow-white world
Came people singing, dancing,
to drive the dark away.

They lighted candles in the winter trees;
They hung their homes with evergreen;
They burned beseeching fires all night long
to keep the year alive.
And when the new year's sunshine blazed awake
They shouted, reveling.

Through all the frosty ages you can hear them
Echoing behind us -- listen!
All the long echoes sing the same delight,
This shortest day.
As promise wakens in the sleeping land;
They carol, feast, give thanks,
And dearly love their friends, and hope for peace.
And so do we, here, now,
This year, and every year.

--Susan Cooper