Making...

Freshly squeezed (sugar-free) lemonade. Anisa's specialty. Fun, fresh, fruit kebabs, using some fruit straight from the trees. A set of African placemats (we started this over a year ago. The girls did one at home and one each with their school, but we never finished the set... we're working on it now) to enjoy these lovely snacks on. Fresh strawberry jam, organic apricot jam and organic apricot/plum jam using fruit that the children helped collect from the trees.

New aprons, burp cloths and bibs.

And last, but certainly not least, some luscious, organic-ish, chocolate lip gloss. This is all natural, essentially edible and super easy. It was also our first attempt. I came up with the recipe after searching on the Internet for some instructions and hoping to find one that would work using the ingredients that we already had. I had no such luck but after some enthusiastic encouragement from Anisa, who has been desperately wanting to make some lip gloss for awhile now, I tweaked a couple of recipes and came up with something that has worked quite well, at least for a first attempt. We will continue to experiment with different waxes, butters and essential oils but for now the chocolate one is where it's at. We just have to work on moderation when applying the gloss.For anyone interested here is what we did:

3 teaspoons 100% pure cocoa butter shavings

1 teaspoon grated beeswax

1 teaspoon organic coconut oil

6 chocolate chips

We placed all the ingredients in a Pyrex dish and placed the dish in a pot over simmering water. We stirred constantly until all ingredients were melted and immediately turned off the stove and removed the mixture from the heat. We poured it into a baby food jar (which, by the way was far too big) and let it cool. Voila- instant lip gloss. It might have been better if we had first added the beeswax by itself and got that to melt slightly before adding the other ingredients, as that took longer to melt than anything else and proper glass or tiny lip gloss jars would have been a bonus, but we're happy with the results all the same.

Haircuts

With super strong heat forecast for the next couple of days we're living the hermit lifestyle. Quiet time at home, leftovers for lunch and dinner, and lots of stories, cuddles and crafts. Maybe a couple of movies and definitely some haircuts. Ruhi has been debating about cutting her hair for months now but the soaring temperatures have finally tipped her over the edge and she has requested a major trim. Anisa is always ready to have her hair cut, often times cutting bits and pieces herself. I can sometimes find little tufts of her hair tucked or hidden in the most unusual places. Bayan, on the other hand, has to be caught and tethered to a chair, or else you have to be seriously stealthy, (invisible man style stealthy) sneak up behind him and quickly trim a lock or two. He was not interested today and I was not interested in attempting to shear him. It's much easier when they sit still and just let you get on with it. I cut both girls' hair and I, personally, think that it looks much better. But the best part is they both love it. It's cooler, easier and super cute. If I do say so myself.

By the way they have both since showered and yes I have trimmed the scraggly bits.

Beading

I have started work on an Ayyam-i-Ha surprise for a very special someone, but as I pull the pieces together I will post more on that later. Meanwhile, one by one, the children have joined me. Ruhi made this lovely necklace for herself and has been working on some bracelets to give away as gifts.

Anisa has been my main beading buddy today. She sat with me for hours while I clipped memory wire and threaded countless seed beads onto individual bracelets. She herself got busy making a headband / tiara, a couple of necklaces and at least ten bracelets. Even Bayan got in on the action, though his "creation" is still a work in progress.

By the Seashore

We had been invited out today and while I am sure the children would have loved to go I am currently craving quiet and solitude. I had promised to take them to the beach yesterday, but that didn't quite go to plan. We spent the morning engaged in other pursuits and by the time we were ready to head out it was late afternoon, sunny, warm and perfect for short strolls in the sand and playing in the tide pools. Both of which the children did a lot of. I sat on the sidelines collecting rocks for a number board while the children showered me with treasures from the sea. The kids played beautifully together in the shallows and the girls helped Bayan navigate the rocks. I find that they play amazingly well together when we are outdoors in the sand and the surf and the sun and sometime it is that little bit of simplicity that grounds you and bonds you and brings you together reminding you that sometimes it is the simplest things that are the most important.

Giving thanks

For family and friends, for Faith and food, for health, for new lives and for all the amazing bounties we are blessed with.

Cooking up a storm

In keeping with tradition we're hosting our annual Thanksgiving lunch as usual. I am so grateful that the weather is still quite mild and so I am able to cook and bake and prepare without needing the air conditioner. I should probably feel stressed or panicky thinking about all that I want / need to get done before tomorrow but honestly I feel quite calm and relaxed. Our lovely friends have all offered to bring things: Martha is making pumpkin soup, Haleh is bringing rice, Ali some steamed vegetables and Celeste is bringing Cherry pie. That leaves me with the Turkey (I finally found the right size bird and have a 15 pounder defrosting in the refrigerator as we speak) the mashed potatoes, butternut squash and salad -all of which are happening tomorrow morning. So today it is all about baking. We've made mini vegetarian quiches and a double zucchini frittata, two loaves of zucchini bread, and while I made a black forest cake and a chocolate butter cake the children we're busy decorating the gingerbread house. It kept them busy and entertained for hours. It's not exactly something you'd see on Martha Stewart, but I love the unpretentiousness of it. And if you only knew the obstacles they faced in decorating it: royal icing that would not harden quickly and so someone would have to hold a candy in place while someone else tried to speed up the drying process with a hairdryer. And while that worked with the icing it melted the chocolates which oozed onto the other decorations and so forth and so on... The kids just kept plowing ahead, happily hiding the cracks beneath mentos and smarties and an assorted party mix... Now, if I can just find somewhere that sells molasses I can make a some soft ginger cookies. Then I'm done with the cooking and onto the cleaning. I just wish I had the time / energy to sort out some cute Thanksgiving crafts. Oh well, maybe next year.

The Naked Chef

Most people relate this title to Jamie Oliver, but I have my own version here at home. This morning he made "funny shaped pancakes". His personal specialty.He's also quite handy in the muffin department.

Gingerbread house

We've started on our annual gingerbread house preparations. We left it a bit late and so I skipped a couple of steps. I figured it really wouldn't make much difference if I didn't leave the dough in the refrigerator for the recommended couple of hours so we just rolled it out, cut it to shape and popped it in the oven. Despite waiting over 24 hours for the baked pieces to harden the front of the house cracked and the roof broke in two. Not good. But we've trudged ahead anyway using lots of royal icing to hold things in place and have at least a standing structure, slightly dilapidated, but standing. We're giving it another day to harden up before I let the kids loose with decorating. And they wanted to make a Gingerbread Taj Mahal. Thank goodness we just went with a simple house. We'll save the Taj Mahal for next year.

We're all just Wemmicks

Perhaps one of my all time favorite children's story books is one by Max Lucado entitled You Are Special. I believe that I have mentioned it before. I am mentioning it again as I find the tale so relevant to my life just now and indeed it is full of universal truths.

Permit me to share the opening paragraphs:

"The Wemmicks were small wooden people. All of the wooden people were carved by a woodworker named Eli. His workshop sat on a hill overlooking their village. Each Wemmick was different. Some had big noses, others had large eyes. Some were tall and others were short. Some wore hats, others wore coats. But all were made by the same carver and all lived in the same village. And all day, every day, the Wemmicks did the same thing: They gave each other stickers. Each Wemmick had a box of golden star stickers and a box of grey dot stickers. Up and down the streets all over the city, people spent their days sticking stars or dots on one another. The pretty ones, those with smooth wood and fine paint, always got stars. But if the wood was rough or the paint chipped, the Wemmicks gave dots..."

I feel like most of my life I have kept my mouth shut, not wanting to injure or offend other people. I am not (or perhaps I was not) a controversial person. I am generally a peacemaker. But there are limits. Recently I feel that I have reached some of mine. I suppose people are always sticking you with their stars or dots, really your whole life through, but I can't help but feel that since getting married it has been taken to a whole. new. level. First it is when are you going to have children? Then, why did you wait? Why didn't you wait? Why did you have them so close together? Why didn't you space them farther apart? When we were expecting Bayan we got few raised eyebrows. We had two daughters, obviously we were trying for a boy. (Humph.) But this time the gloves have come off. People I hardly know have been sharing their two cents in no uncertain terms, passing judgements and condemnation, other groups of people are incredulous and gently shake their heads when they see my three children and bulging tummy and the smallest group (whom I rarely meet) offer praise or their own personal experiences stemming from larger families.

There is almost always some criticism, you cannot do right. A few nights ago I was asked, by one of the many individuals who strongly discouraged us in having more children after Bayan was born, why we waited so long before having another. I mean honestly, should we inform them? Ask their permission? I was almost speechless. But, in reflecting calmly, I believe that I really don't need to respond to such comments. It is not up to us. We do not create life. God does that. How many people have tried for years to have children never to succeed, or have only succeeded after trying for many years? In the same manner I know of numerous people who were not trying at all and yet were blessed with children just the same. Every child is a gift from God and I am so very grateful for this little one, no matter the how long the wait has been or how many pregnancy related inconveniences I have faced along the way.

Abdu'l-Baha says that 'if you wish to give admonition or advice, let it be offered in such a way that it will not burden the bearer.' Well heeellloo people. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, yet these opinions should not be forced upon others. People should be able to look at their own lives, their own circumstances and their own capacities and make their own decisions without being bombarded with judgements, however well meant they may be. I have recently had to put up with individuals offering unwarranted and unwelcome advice. A lot. I have been called 'An idiot' for having another child. I have been repeatedly called 'crazy'. I have been told, point blank, to stop having kids and, interestingly, some of the strongest criticisms have been from individuals who don't even have children themselves.

That being said, I agree that there are people out there who have many children and who should not be having more. But I base this not on the fact that they five kids already, or that they have slightly challenging pregnancies, but rather on the fact that the children they do have are sorely neglected, that they are beaten, threatened, abused, told that they do not deserve food and are locked in a closet for hours on end, they are sent to school reeking of urine, there is a sadness, a hurt and often an anger in their eyes that words cannot describe, they are deprived of basic human necessities, not the least of which is love and I think that if these parents cannot care for the children that they already have, what business do they have attempting to "raise" more? I also think that if you believe you have the capacity to love and nurture and train children to the best of your abilities and there is something in your heart that inclines you towards more then maybe you should heed that, embrace it and follow your instincts and dreams regardless of what anyone thinks.

Now, I'm not saying that I am a fabulous parent or that we'll have any more kids. I'm probably messing my kids up in ways I cannot even imagine. I may yet raise Gothic teens, or shoplifters or wind up with a child in rehab, or worse. Who is to say? What I do know, is that I love my children and despite their idiosyncrasies and the fact that they are not always perfect (Anisa still sneaks lollies out of the pantry and Bayan actually clamped his hands over his ears at Feast the other night when everyone started singing a prayer together, complaining that it was giving him a headache. Shameful, I know. But he did apologize for it afterward, of his own accord. So perhaps there's still hope. ) I truly believe that they will turn out OK. It's the rest of the world that I'm worried about. A world that has lost sight of the true importance and value of children. The Universal House of Justice has said that "...children are the most precious treasure that a community can possess..." I believe that.

'Abd'u'l-Baha says (and I'm paraphrasing here) that 'every child is potentially the light of the world and at the same time it's darkness wherefore must the question of education be accounted as of primary importance.' I believe that too. And I believe that I have the capacity to be a good parent and to guide these children to the right path. I may, one day, eat my words but I'd at least like the chance to try to raise my kids and have this baby without being covered in dots before I even begin. I know that when this bugs me I must spend more time with my Creator, remembering that He made me and my family and that He does not make mistakes, remembering that everyone will be given their share of stars and dots and that these stickers will only stick if you let them. Thanks for listening.

I'm descending from my soap box... now.

A Very Merry Unbirthday

Anisa really wanted a birthday party with friends to visit, a cake to eat, games to play and people to sing to her. You know, the usual. Her birthday was in August and it just didn't happen. So she kept bringing it up... "When do I get to have a birthday party?"... "How come Ruhi and Bayan got to have birthday parties and I didn't?"..."Are they going to get birthday parties next year?"... "What about me?" And the kicker: "Don't you love me?" Ugh! The guilt. So we put together a very impromptu unbirthday party for her yesterday. I kept thinking of the white rabbit and his pocket watch as he dashed about in a frenzy chanting "I'm late! I'm late... for a very important date." Hmmm. I could seriously relate and was going to use that on the invitations, but I wound up just calling around in the end. I envisioned the mad hatters tea party and figured that I would set up a table outside, provide nibbles and lunch and just let the kids play. That was pretty simple and I figured that I could handle that. I rented Alice in Wonderland for the kids in the first few days of the holidays and Anisa loved it. I must admit, after watching it for the first time in years, I'm not a big fan, but the kids enjoyed it and Ruhi, who I dubbed head of entertainment and who was commissioned to take charge of all party games and activities came up with some really good ideas. She illustrated a memory game and challenged the kids to match the main characters, she organized party bags and a pass the parcel (and oversaw an extra one thanks to Martha), she made a pin the tail on the white rabbit and was in charge of face painting. Anisa wanted in on the action too, it was her party after all, so she commandeered some customers of her own. Ruhi even made a series of doors out of paper and cardboard and began making keys to fit the slots, but then we ran out of time so I think that last one kind of fizzled out in the end. But the kids were happy to just play, the craft area was in chaos with supplies everywhere and some of the younger ones enjoyed some "making" while our youngest guest found the toilet paper stash and happily unraveled a few rolls in and around the toilet.

The cake was super simple. A three layer chocolate cake with chocolate butter icing and I just used decorations that we already had on hand. The girls and I had hoped to make a forest along the walls outside, but all we managed in the end were a few wayward signs: I was just going to do sandwiches and salad olivieh for lunch plus the standard muffins (but with "eat me" written in chocolate icing on them), fruit and veggie platters, crackers, chips and dips and leave it at that. But one guest insisted on making pasta. She brought two enormous pots (thank you Tahereh!) full of absolutely scrumptious spaghetti bolognase and a delicious salad. Everyone loved it. When my neighbour announced she was bringing chocolate crackles and marshmallow - cookie tea cups I abandoned the sandwich idea figuring that we would have more than enough and more than enough we did. The best bit was that Anisa had a lovely day and as we were getting ready for bed that night she gave me a big hug and said "Thank you so much for my party." Oh, how I love that child.

In the garden

I set the kids loose with the camera in the back yard today -with a few reservations I must admit. This was my good camera after all. And while many pictures came back like this: there were also ones like these: I love how they were able to capture the so much beauty in a garden that I would describe as anything but lovely. I also love to see things from their perspective. Though I shall spare you the photos of the cat's behind. Ahem.

Little treats

After being out and about so much I am torn between really just wanting (and needing) to stay home and wanting to do a few things with the kids before the baby comes. Today we were home, mostly. So, to ring in the holidays - in a moment of weakness - I bought a small packet of peanut m&m's, I also happened to have some left over regular sized m&m's as well as some mini ones on hand. I placed them out with some colored pencils and notebooks and after Bayan had identified all the colors the kids tried to guess which color occurred the most in each group. They were each responsible for sorting one group of m&m's. Once they were all separated (the m&m's not the children) they looked at the different sizes and colors, estimated which color had more and then recorded their hypothesises. We did some counting to double check. As it turned out each of them guessed correctly at least once. They each got to sample one of the color of their choice. We packed up the mini and regular sized m&m's - these will be put to future use to make candied garden creatures - and headed to the kitchen with the peanut ones. I had a bit of a craving for peanut butter cookies and thought why not add a little something extra? The kids weren't complaining and they had a great time adding the ingredients and putting the cookies on the cookie sheets. They didn't mind eating them either. We took a plate over to the neighbours to share and I thought we might bring a few to Persian classes as well, but we ultimately decided not to (allergies) and set about making some chocolate muffins to take instead.

For anyone interested in the recipe here goes:

1/2 cup butter

3/4 cup sugar (either brown or white I use organic)

1/2 cup peanut butter

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla essence

2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda or baking powder

chocolate chips or (peanut) m&m's (optional)

Cream together the butter, sugar and peanut butter until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix again. Add the flour and baking soda and mix again. Stir in the peanut m&m's and drop by the spoonful onto baking trays. Bake in a preheated oven 160 degrees C (fan forced) for approximately 12 minutes, or until cookies are just beginning to brown around the edges.

Enjoy.

Free at last...

and looking forward to the future. This afternoon I finally finished cleaning out and organizing my classroom, this afternoon the girls' school let out for summer holidays and this afternoon I officially began my maternity leave. To celebrate I took the kids out for a special celebration dinner at 'The Beautiful Cafe' (so dubbed by Bayan because they sell hot chips and ice cream there). It is the same small cafe at which the girls have been having their 'Mummy dates' this term. They were so excited. We sat at a table overlooking the native trees and shared calamari rings, gourmet pizza and hot chips. They even got to choose a popsicle for dessert.
It doesn't get much better than that.

Its all good...

Over the last few weeks there have been times when, if I did not know any better I would swear there was some sort of voodoo witch doctor in a remote corner of the planet poking pins into a doll that looks remarkably like me. I feel like I have grumbled and complained enough and that it doesn't matter if, despite the pressure stockings, I have cankles and swollen legs or that, at 36 weeks I am still throwing up, that the back brace, tummy tube and abdominal support have really not helped much at all, that after finishing the reports and pinatas I feel more exhausted than free and that every time someone asks how I am feeling I practically burst into tears. It's funny though how it sometimes takes an added aggravation to make you appreciate how good you've really got it.


There is some sort of story or fable about a man who grumbles about his house being so small that it is almost unbearable. He is miserable and cramped until someone says that they can fix the problem for him. The first thing that they do to help is to move his cow from the barn into his house. Then the pigs and the sheep and the horse, when there is physically no room to move the chickens are added and the man cries out: "You said that you could fix this but this is a hundred times worse than before!" To which his helper replies: "Fix it I shall." The first thing he did was move the cow back to the barn, then the pigs and the horse and the sheep and the chickens. One by one each contingent of animals was taken away until the man had his house to himself again. Suddenly his cramped quarters seemed spacious and he was grateful and happy and he had learned a valuable lesson in the process.



So far I've thrown up for 36 weeks and I still get nauseous and there are times when I think...seriously, what is this? But a few days ago I caught the sore throat / cold thing that has been going around and then I got to experience violent projectile vomiting on top of the swollen glands and dreadfully excruciating throat and suddenly the regular nausea and vomiting that I've been experiencing is not so bad and really I should be grateful that it is not worse and that I haven't had a sore throat to contend with the whole time. This is the only time that I am going to be 36 weeks pregnant with this child and I should enjoy it for what it is, because I will never get to be pregnant with this baby again. So, I pledge to embrace the back aches, and the swelling and the nausea and be grateful for the results it will bring...

Recipes

Here are a few recipes from my earlier post for anyone who is interested. First up we have the Putanesca (pictured above)I got this recipe from a friend of mine whose husband was Italian. He would only eat authentic Italian food and had fanatically high standards. It's pretty strong, so a little goes a long way, but boy is it good. I ordered this in a restaurant not that long ago and it didn't even come close to measuring up to this version.

4 large ripe tomatoes (skin removed) or you can use canned

45 grams anchovies (drained)

12 stuffed olives (I use a garlic and chili stuffed olive, they are big and spicy and I only use half so approximately 6 but then again I normally double this recipe. By the way it freezes really well.)

2 cloves garlic (I always add extra)

1/4 c. oil (I always add less, just enough to saute the garlic in, probably about 1 or 2 tablespoons)

1 tablespoon of chopped fresh basil

1 pinch of chili powder (I omit this because of the chili in the olives)

A sprinkling of chopped fresh parsley

Salt and pepper to taste (I normally add neither because of the salt in the anchovies and the spice of the olives.)

In a medium frying pan (large if you're doubling the recipe) heat oil and add the garlic. Stir and cook until lightly browned. Add the tomatoes and then the other ingredients. Simmer over a low heat and keep squishing the tomatoes until a nice, sauce consistency begins to form. Probably about 10-15 minutes. Serve over your favorite pasta and add a bit of grated Parmesan cheese if you like.

Kidney Bean dip

This is a nice accompaniment to Mexican food. I made this with the kids at Ruhi and Anisa's school (as well as with 300 students last year at mine) and while it doesn't look particularly appetizing it tastes wonderful. Many students were not that keen to try, but everyone who did came back for seconds without exception. One child said and I quote: "It looks disgusting. But it tastes awesome." Even the staff were raving.

2 Tablespoons of vegetable oil

2-3 cloves of garlic, minced or crushed

1 onion finely chopped

a few dashes paprika (maybe 1/2 a teaspoon)

1 can organic kidney beans (drained but liquid reserved)

1/2 a cup (or more) of grated cheese

Heat oil in the frying pan and add onion, garlic and paprika. Stir over medium heat until the onion is soft and just beginning to brown. Add the beans and mash gently, add a bit of the reserved liquid and cheese and continue to mash and stir until you get a thick, dip-like consistency. Serve with corn chips, salsa and fresh guacamole.

Slow Cooker Lemon Garlic Chicken (from allrecipes.com)

1 tsp. dried oregano (I always use a fair bit more of the first three ingredients)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 kilo chicken

2T. butter (I normally use rice bran oil)

1/4 c. water

3 T. fresh lemon juice

2 cloves minced garlic (I usually add more)

1 t. chicken bouillon granules

1 t. chopped fresh parsley

In a bowl mix oregano, salt and pepper. Rub mix into chicken. In a lightly oiled frying pan brown chicken on both sides for about 3-5 minutes. Place chicken in the slow cooker. In the same skillet mix water, lemon juice, garlic and bouillon. Bring mixture to a boil and pour over chicken. Cook on low 6 hours or on high 3 hours add parsley towards the end. I've been making this for years. It is a great prepare and forget about recipe. It goes really well with rice (or potatoes) and salad.

Now if only I could get motivated to cook something amazing for the kids right now. But honestly all I feel like doing is getting take-away.