Some good news and some bad

Don't worry it's not so bad!
Yesterday I got the good news that a dear of friend has a new addition to the family, and now joins me in the madness joy of having 5 children.
And the bad, I received my first fästing (tick) bite. I was examining my knee for some reason and came across quite a fat one lodged in the side of my leg. I then tried to pull it out with tweezers.  It wriggled, I shrieked, and I had to wake up DH so he could remove it while I squeezed my eyes tight. I'm sure it was easier than giving birth, but it needed a good tug. A mouthpart is still in and I just have to wait a few weeks for it to grow out errgh!
Well this is one of the downsides of living in Sweden, insects that want to eat you.
How the tick got there I don't know, as I was all covered up, obviously, when I went out the day before. It's tuck your socks in your trousers time!
I was going to add a photo, but they were all too creepy on Google images, so look if you dare!
Must go, one of the boys has decided to hoover the living room, without me asking?!

Final snaps of colour..

The last of the flowers in the allotment, and gardens round our way.
Trees having their last fashion show before the curtain drops.
The days are pretty short round here,with S swapping leaving in the dark for coming home in it.
Winter is on it's way, I'll have to accept it, it's been nearly 8 years in Sweden and I should be used to it by now....

Some autumn development..

A trip to a local forest/ nature centre gave us insight into which animals might be lurking in the woods. Here we examine tracks and faeces (assumed to be models). We managed to spot some real fox poo, red hairs and all stuck in.






and of course the beauty of the autumn trees, the fine weather recently has really been showing their full glory.


Back home and grandmother unpacks a multisensory stock of spices from Pakistan....

H decides to write down his verdict on Hz's behaviour..

is there not an electrical appliance that can escape his interest? (he'd made some steps out of the drawers he had managed to pull out, mashaAllah)

With great difficulty I got online..

I’ve been wanting to blog for days now, just things happen and there’s neither time nor energy to document anything. Just barely enough to live it..
We’ve started swimming school, and S’s been having mixed feelings, (tiredness, trepidation..) however the last were positive as his teachers have been pleased with him. As the other children have failed to turn up he’s had 2 personal teachers. M’s group was also scantily attended so there’s one to one teaching.
We went out on another one of my ‘walks’ (kids must wish I had never done Duke of Edinburgh’s award). We took the fishing nets in a hope to do a bit of river dipping. I wish I could show some photos here, but I couldn’t locate the battery charger for the camera. The stream where we normally baffle passing Swedes by playing pooh sticks had almost completely dried up. Either it’s the recent hot weather (although there has been quite a bit of rain recently) or maybe the nearby housing developments are taking it? The flies and mosquitos were bothering S a lot, so we walked on, and did find a bit of stream with enough water to contain some animal life. Some, what I assume were minnows ,seemed uncatchable (I feel there’s a proper word that I could use instead but it escapes me) but they managed to get some insects, dead and alive and plenty of stones. We continued to the man-made playground (as opposed to the natural one of the woods and streams) as the mosquitos were just too much. Biryani ran with me to empty the jar of wildlife into the river as I suddenly remembered the lid was on tight and they might run out of oxygen. (H thought they’d be alright as they had water as well!). As I ran along with her, having left Hz in S’s care, she looked so adorable with a cheeky grin tightly holding my hand. Sandals had been cast aside, as do most of my children nowadays. (Too much Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer having been watched. I keep reminding them that even he had a bath once a week.) On the way back she ran independently, and the easy flow of running showed that she’s now transitioned fully away from toddlerdom.
Today’s been a bit of a Lemony Snicket day as we got most of the series of Unfortunate events Books PLUS the DVD out of the library. S has also just been constructing a grappling hook out of wool and pipe cleaners.
M has just announced Biryani is counting our spoons. I thought I heard them being banged about, so at least a second wash for them is worth it.
Oh no they’ve now just been thrown on the floor and gathered up by M to show me.
They’ve been keeping up with bits of study (Arabic reading, Quran, English) and actually asking to do it. Before you faint, they’re only allowed their computer time if they’ve done something brain-worthy.
Hz’s communication is coming on, he whole hand points, and now says ‘ooh’ for pain, and anything hot and sometimes just for the sake of it.
Car is fixed finally, so hope we can have some excursions inshaAllah.

Last leaves of Autumn

MashaAllah, these trees greet me with a an orange glow as I view them from my kitchen window in the morning. I know the leaves' days are numbered, and I hoped to go to go for a walk in the woods to see the full splendour of the warm shades of colour of the leaves. However I have decided to limit use of the car this last week due to my back, and DH came back a bit later so he was not around to assist me with lifting kids in and out of the car.

As I expected, the early starts for school run has tired me out, rather than the baby. Hz's excellent sleeping pattern is, at the moment (I hasten to add), 9 p.m until til approx 6.30 am and then another couple of hours after a feed. Those extra 2 hours I could grab if didn't have to get kids ready for school would make a big differnce to me. Funny how Saturday morning the children finally get into the school routine and wake extra early when I could actually have a 'lie-in' alhamdulillah.

So we are all pretty flaked out when they are home from school, then it's food, prayers and homework (not necessarily in that order, depends on the child!). So getting on with anything extra is tough, but alhamdulillah, the children are (sometimes) asking for things/ doing things themselves. S asked to go over his surah they're learning at school again, and also his best friend is able to help him practice when they visit each other as he knows a lot of Quran mashAllah. S also decided to make a maths workbook on the computer today, so maybe inshAllah young Hz can have a copy when he reaches the right age!

H likes the way the Peter and Jane books progress and I think he will be v chuffed when he can (eventually) do 12b (as will I!). He also asks me to practice surahs with him before bed, which is good as by that time I'm feeling like flopping on the bed/sofa, but as he's asked I can hardly refuse can I?

How play has changed..

Today we have been to M's arabic classes outing to one of the indoor playcentres. Not my cup of tea (due to hectic atmosphere, gawdy colours and extortionate prices), but kids do like it. Further below are some pics of my preferred type of activity (out in nature, be it only a local park).
So here's what we've been up to in the last few days of the holidays..
S writing out the script of his You tube video. He and his friend decided to make videos with action figures/ lego and got DH to show them how to upload to YouTube. It's been animation mania here as they have realised how to make 'cartoons' with their lego men using the mobile phone camera. Even H has managed to make a short one!

S now has his first mobile phone (my old one) and his own phone number.



Ta da! the PJ trousers (after a night's wear) which I actually finished within an hour or so in the end. They ended up loking like Judo trousers due to the recycled sheet material I used. Next is to try with some proper material inshAllah. Also I have to alter the pattern as they are bit tight on the 'behind'.




Out in the park where we find blackberries. One thing I like about Sweden is the focus on nature and learning. Even the maths books use nature as a theme .

Some writing practice, no paper wasted here..

The blackberries were not quite ripe, although we did find a few black ones which were quickly devoured.
M searching for ripe berries, with a young hazalnut tree in the background. Sadly it didn't appear to have any nuts..
Found one ! So inshaAllah we'll go back soon and get a few pots full.

Hz continues to give lots of smiles (to anyone , huff!) and did a little laugh yesterday.

TV viewing, well S was quite interested by the programme about how the earth could be if the human race suddenly disappeared. I had to explain to all of them that this wasn't depicting precisely what was going to happen, just what might happen according to the programme makers. Anyhow this gave an opportunity to talk a little bit about the Day of Judgement with him. Otherwise a bit of Islam channel cartoons today (but why so much music?) and the usual cartoons which prompted me to announce 'Control the remote control, don't let it control you!' I say this with slightly less hypocrisy as I recently have been watching hardly any TV and hope to avoid it as much as possible in Ramadhan.

So back to school tomorrow (if I have the energy, they're only supposed to be there 1 hour on the first day!). Just wondering if anyone will 'pop round' to check what we're up to and if kids are in school or not (me paranoid?)

InshaAllah only a week left until Ramadhan, and am wondering how S is going to manage. I remember reading about early muslims giving their children simple toys to distract them from the hunger, but today's kids including my own, would this be enough? may Allah make it easier for all those novice fasters (and the more experienced), and let them realise the benefit it is bringing to themselves.

Photos of everyday life..

This is the sort of thing H takes pictures of when he manages to get hold of my camera without my knowledge. Sometimes they're quite telling, other times they show pictures of people in their 'natural' poses (me frowning at some misdeed or squinting at the computer screen). Don't worry I won't upload the latter, they'll have been deleted from the memory!. This is one of a my IKEA chest of drawers that matches the bunk beds but ended up in my room, and the green box contains the paperwork for my Swedish tax return, which this year I have to do myself, and basically is a weight on my shoulders I could do without. The yellow spray is for Biryani' s hair which becomes bush-like, and tangled very easily.


S blew up all these balloons for Biryani while I was out dropping M at school.
He was home as he was ill (the type of affliction that is worst at 7.30 a.m. and it's time to get ready for school).
In fact mashAllah he was a v good babysitter. Nowadays I am trying to avoid picking Hafsah up which is necessary when going out in the car as I get some discomfort in the stomach muscles doing so. Also it means I can take the smaller car whch has a cd player and is less of a gas guzzler. Don't worry MIL was around in the house too, for emergencies.


and more interest as I managed to stick them to the ceiling. When I asked M why this happens, H chipped in 'ecrekticity'. He's been watching too much 'Timothy goes to school' his favourite programme. Still I don't understand why static electricity actually makes them stick, so shall have to look that up...

H playing with the balloons, a lot of fun for a 50p bag of balloons. Also here is the computer desk/ Lego protection unit from nearly 2 year old hands, and general dumping ground, oh and a basket of wet washing hoping someone will hang it up to dry, and a bit of floor, that's a novelty.
The other end of the 'living' room (a lot of living goes on in here as you can see) Washing on radiator needs to be folded and put away, window still needs replacement glass (alhamdulillah it has been a mild Winter) .

Biryani is trying to imitate me, rubbing the balloon on her hair!

and not so exciting a pic, but this is H's pomegranate seedlings popping up, I'd given them up for dead but he reminded me to water them (they were placed on top of the bookcase so prying fingers don't excavate them).

Other things going on, I'm trying out making 'surdeg' sour dough, and I'm on Day 2, so we'll see how it gets on inshaAllah. Have managed to wean the two littlies onto wholemeal rye pancakes and last time sneaked in some sesame seeds, although these seemed to pass straight through. What can I add next to add more nutrients?seaweed?!

Biryani's progressing with the potty training in that I haven't had to change a no 2 nappy for nearly a week, she's very proud and says 'did it!'

It's v difficult to get her to wear a nappy once it's off, which causes difficulties as if I need to lie down I need her to wear one as I can't expect the others to sort her out, so I'm reluctant to leave it off so often. Maybe inshaAllah once DH is back.

School, well M is reluctant to go nowadays, maybe made worse by S being off, but then also found out a boy on his table has been horrible to him. So have had words with the teacher. A sister I know who's son is in the same class phoned me last night. She's been v concerned at how her son's getting on at school / disagreements with the teacher (quite a long story) so nowadays she's coming into the class sometimes to observe. She said it was v noisy and hard for the others to concentrate. She was also concerned about the lack of supervision at break times, as there is a big open public park with woods at the back situated behind the schools. The children aren't supposed to wander off up there but some do, M does seem to listen to the school rules at least.

I don't like the idea of complete silence in classrooms and that discussion is v important but there have to be limits. Also I find it sad our kids can't feel safe playing in woods, but this is 2008. Anyhow, one of those 'doubts about my kids education' times, must trust in Allah to help me get a solution.

S had to write a reply to a 'pen-friend' arranged between another school in the city ('swedish' school) and I was pleased to see that the boys handwriting and spelling were, if not worse, but on a par with S's. I am unsure how the usual standards are here as 99% of kids in my kid's school have Swedish as a 2nd (3rd, 4th) language.

Now must do some housework, yawn...

Hurray, it rained , it was windy, and the the sun came out (a bit)

It’s been 13 days of grey, silent skies (bar a 5 minute appearance of the sun a couple of days ago). I’m like a prisoner scratching lines on the bare walls of my cell, of how many days I’ve spent inside!. So grabbed kids plus S’s friend and took them to a park nearby that had a little bit of woodland and a field. They took their light sabres and walkie talkies and for the first time in ages ran around in the freedom of the outdoors, no neighbours complaining of the noise to worry about, oxygen in their lungs. Biryani was like a little Red Riding Hood in her red snow gear running after someone's remote control car they’d probably got for Christmas, and looking earnestly for help as she got stuck in the tangles of branches and thorns that cover the small child-made paths in the bushes that would probably not affect a child with a height above a metre.
I’m still feeling a bit weak and wobbly, but MIL is here bolstering me up with chicken soup and telling me off for touching anything resembling a dirty plate in the sink.
Bedtime routines completely out the window, and has got a bit ridiculous as they don’t want to sleep till after midnight. I do get a chance for a lie in but it’s then all waking hours with kids around, which I feel maybe too high a price to pay. I’m secretly looking forward to the school term starting, so we can get a reasonable routine back. Check this space in a week and a half, I’ll probably be moaning about the 6.30 am starts!

Scout camp hurrah, no dib dib, we're in Sweden

There’s still one carrier bag full of stuff left to unpack and can’t find the shower gel we took with us, but finally shall try to recall some of last weekend’s activities. (brain pretty numb as scout camp always involves lack of sleep, plus not sleeping till after Fajr as its so early, plus Biryani having a cold and waking what seems like every 5 mins).

But on a positive note the summer hols means can wake without my mobile’s alarm cuckooing at an unearthly hour. M informed me that the big hand was ‘between the 2 and 3’ and the little hand near the nine when I lazily asked him to check the time.
But back to camp. This year I did not have the bliss of ignorance as regards ‘fästing’ (ticks) so this was at the forefront of my mind throughout. Not for the faint-hearted here's a pic. The first year I went I was ignorant of these little minibeasts, but now know they are v common in Swedish forest and if not removed promptly can have nasty complications. So trousers were tucked into socks and insect spray liberally applied. (The herbal one without the DDT still stank to bits though) In fact there were no myggs this year, maybe cos of rain and in the end only H had one suspect one behind his ear, and DH had one crawling amongst his arm hairs but got it before it bit.
Weather was very rainy on the first day so indoor activites mostly. When it cleared there were lots of pretend battles, weapons easily available with all the sticks lying about. The defending of Sarajevo may have been re-enacted (with the help of S’s friend from Bosnia) or else Darth Maul beat Darth Vader, who knows. Lots of fires were made in the indoor and outdoor fireplaces and had a barbq in the drizzle. The fire drill went very well, one of the sisters doing a very realistic impression of someone terrified because the kitchen was ablaze. S spent most of the day making grilling sticks by carving sticks with a knife. On the second day the weather picked up and I managed to avoid again the morning exercise session. We had a crafty afternoon making boxes out of coloured thick paper, which M much enjoyed and he went on to give a demonstration of this at the Muslim playgroup a few days after.
Biryani and H did a good impression of cling-ons and wondering if better to stay at home with them next year.
BTW Biryani now stands quite capably and can get up to standing from sitting. She’s done a couple of steps walking (more like falling) so we’re on the home straight for another biped.

Manly wood-carving

H's view of the camp

A good roaring fire, what you need in the middle of June in Sweden

The outside of the dining room and some beautiful forest, mashAllah