Lessons in Empathy and Extra Large Sandwhiches

Lately I have been noticing a few unsavory behaviours in both Ruhiyyih and Anisa, particularly in relation to their interactions with each other. At times I find it quite disturbing, specifically in light of where it could lead if not corrected immediately. On other occasions I find it amazing that they can be at each others throats one minute and falling asleep in each others arms the next.

While I know that some of this is quite common, it doesn't make it any more pleasant to experience. We spent a good deal of time this morning trying to put ourselves in the other person's shoes, to try to see the situation from another perspective. I don't know how successful we were (not very, judging from the sounds emerging from the computer room at present) but we shall persevere. Maybe one day it will sink in. I sure hope so.

In other news we had a lovely lunch after a fabulous trip to the grocery store where I stocked up on supplies for the week ahead. I am, extremely reluctantly, reentering the workforce on Thursday and the school year resumes on Tuesday. The kids were all wonderful and Bayan even sat in the seat the whole time we were there!!! That is unusual so I am deeply impressed and greatly appreciative. While in the bakery section the girls found a super long loaf of bread which we bought so that we could make this: (for lunch).

How fun, yummy and nutritious is that?

Cookies (15 Nov. 07)

The girls and I baked a batch of our famous chocolate chip cookies to take across the street to Bev. She and Keith are selling their house, not exactly by choice, and she has seemed pretty down and frustrated lately. (Can't imagine why.) She appeared really touched, surprised and grateful. It felt really nice to do a "good deed" for someone else.

Fruit Skewers (9 Nov. 07)

Ruhi was home sick today so we spent a quiet morning in our pyjamas making her favourite fruit snacks.

Ahoy me hearty!

Ta da!

The finished product.

From Anisa's perspective...

Look at the colours. Don't they look luscious and stunning. I can't believe my 4 year old took this shot. I guess it just goes to show that a lot of things look better (different in any case) from a child's perspective.

Gingerbread (3 Nov. 07)

Tired after a morning filled with ballet lessons and swimming Bayan contentedly slept. While he dozed I read the girls the story of The Gingerbread Man and we unanimously decided to bake some gingerbread. Only I didn't have any "men" (or anything remotely human for that matter) shaped cookie cutters so we improvised. Here is the process.

The aftermath. What can you do? It is what sponges were made for.

Rolling out the dough...easier said than done.

Cutting out the shapes, very, very, carefully.

While the gingerbread baked the girls sat on the carpet enjoying our most recent selection from the library.

We had too much fun decorating to take pictures. Here is the end product. The stars and butterflies were mostly Ruhi, the snakes, faces and houses were done by Anisa. They were delicious if I do say so myself.

Choooocolaaate

I was awakened at 7 am, by a thouroughly exasperated husband brandishing a half empty container of chocolate chips. Rattling the tupperware for effect he proceeded to describe how he had found Anisa in the shadowy nook under the computer table contentedly noshing away - after having scaled the pantry shelves (a desperate and dangerous act in and of itself)to reach my "secret" stash.

With husband appeased, Anisa's hands and face hosed down and the chocolate restored to a new hiding place, we began the day.

By mid morning there were new developments on the chocolate front. The distant sound of crackling wrappers lead me, once again, to the computer room where I found Anisa working her way (fortunately my speedy intervention meant that she only managed to injest one square) through a large block of compounded cooking chocolate. When questioned about her actions she innocently replied: "It's Ok Mommy. God gave them to me." Humph.... Indeed.

Unwavering in her determination Anisa later reminded me that I had promised to bake chocolate brownies to take to the teacher appreciation ceremony at Ruhi's school tonight. It wasn't until I was half way through making dinner that I noticed one tin of brownies was missing. Fortunately I made a double batch. I had placed both pans on the counter to cool and one was definately no longer in sight. After searching her favorite haunts beginning with - you guessed it - the computer room, I discovered a tin of partially eaten brownie remains nestled on the bookcase in the girls' room. I wonder who...?

This was to be nothing when compared to the sweet array of delicasies she heaped on her plate after the award ceremony, but perhaps the biggest surprise of all was that our four-year-old chocoholic wasn't in a diabetic coma by the end of the evening.