Friday, October 31, 2008

I Hate Diets......



I'm in the process of starting a diet .......
I took some steps ...like lowering my calorie intake & increasing my activity level.....I'm not consistent enough so I just dance & burn the calories using my favourite music...Well I'm TRYING.....
& then I stumble upon this ....ummmm....tempting pic of this sweets me3alem in Syria...
& ahem did I mention that I looooooove Syrian sweets...
& those delesh looking maa'mools in the pic...just look yummy...
Well I guess I can satisfy my sweet tooth through the pics......



Sweet makers prepare special pastries in Damascus, on the fourth week and final of the Muslim fasting month Ramadan. (Photo: Bassem Tellawi/AP)

Monday, October 27, 2008

How did Autism affect me?


As I grew up I never heard the word Autism...


although my mom is a pediatrician ...growing up in the 80s & 90s between 2 Arab countries ...Egypt & Saudi Arabia....I never once heard the word....


Nonthelesss I had a cousin ...he was much younger than me...at the time politically correct labels were not used & we knew he was mentally retarded....He lived with the rest of the family in a small town off Mansoura...a rural area...that lacked any facilities that can deal with his special needs...


Ofcourse looking back my dear cousin was Autistic & in no way was he mentally retarded....he communicated with the rest of the world in his own unique style....he was behind in his language development & ofcourse his social skills....but I remember very well that he could memorise the small suras after only hearing them 3 times...


I remember also his 1st day of school when he was dropped off to the nearby school only to find him back at the house half an hour later after the teacher told to go home & not come back....


He had a good experience within a special school...but unfortunatly it did not last for very long as the school was closed after the '92 earthquick ...now his only passtime was spending the whole day roaming the streets & the farm land around his house...he had to bear the abuse of kids on the streets making fun of the way he talked or whatever he did....we had a close bond ...him & me....


I felt I had an obligation to do something for kids like him...& sobhan Allah ...one day I was watching TV...it was during my 2nd year in Med school...& someone was talking about starting an organization for special needs...I wrote an entry in my journal that day...it was like making an oath to make it my purpose in life to make a school or a home for kids with special needs...


I forgot all about this oath ...for years...& what happened after my graduation was only an act of Almighty Allah...I became a Psychaitrist..I specialised in Child Psychiatry...& now I'm responsible for an Autism center in Mansoura that is home for over 10 families living with Autism...I feel that every time I try to take another route than this one Allah pushes me with His gentle guiddness to this road again....


Alhamdu leLah ...I'm most grateful for having my cousin in my life...to remind me of all the good things that I can do to help them & through that I may heal my own wounds....


Thursday, October 23, 2008

Nuha Rasheed...a new hero to all Egyptian women

This is the 1st time ever that this happens in my country...a woman actually stands up for her rights ....

Sexual harrassment is so prevelant in our streets that almost all the women that I know have had terrible experiences..of course none of us had the courage that Nuha has...maybe some of us curse & shout at these men...some do more than that like my dear friend....you know who you are honey..wink..wink...who by the way has a brown belt in Karate' .

She was once grabbed by some jerk on the streets of Alex...& my very dear friend turned around & literally kicked his b***....go talk about "WOMEN POWER"


It's on my to do list to give my 2 DDs lessons in martial arts..in sha Allah..


Kudos to you Nuha...God bless you





I'm actually glad that this pervert's name is all over the place & that he is actually going to jail for this.....I think jail is the place for these perverts


This was taken from the BBC's website:



حُكم على مواطن مصري بالسّجن ثلاث سنوات مع الأشغال بعد أن أدين بتهمة التحرش جنسيا بسيدة في أحد شوارع القاهرة.
كما حكمت المحكمة على شريف جمعة بدفع 5001 جنيه ( أو ما يناهز 894 دولارا) على سبيل التعويض للضحية نهى رشيد صالح وهي مخرجة سينمائية في السابعة والعشرين.
ويعتبر هذا الحكم الأشد من نوعه في مصر في قضية تحرش جنسي.
واتُهم جمعة بملامسة جسد الضحية -التي تشتهر باسمها الفني نهى أستاذ- عدة مرات وهو يسير بسيارته ببطء إلى جوارها بضاحية مصر الجديدة.
وعلى الرغم من تعرض العديد من المصريات والأجنبيات للتحرش الجنسي في الشوارع المصرية لكن نادرا ما تتصدى السلطات لهذه التحرشات ولا تتناولها وسائل الاعلام الرسمية.
لكن قضية نهى حازت على اهتمام وسائل الإعلام منذ وقوعها في شهر يونيو/ حزيران الماضي، بعد أن قررت المدعية أن تكشف عن محنتها أمام الملأ.
وأعربت آنذاك للبي بي سي عن شعورها بالصدمة نتيجة ما تعرضت له وموقف المارة الذين نصحوها بعدم رفع شكوى إلى الشرطة بينما اتهمها الآخرون باثارة المعتدي للتحرش بها.
وبعد عراك دام حوالي الساعة، تمكنت نهى من اقتياد المعتدي الى مركز للشرطة لكن ضباط الشرطة رفضوا فتح محضر، حسبما قالت.
وحظيت القضية بدعم صحيفة البديل المعارضة التي أنحت باللائمة على "القمع الحكومي"، وعلى "أغلبية من المواطنين الذين يتماهون مع القهر"، وعلى "أجيال من التحريض ضد النساء." "درس للاخرين"
واشادت الناشطات المصريات في مجال الدفاع عن حقوق المرأة بالقاضي الذي انزل في رأيهن، عقوبة قاسية ونموذجية بالمعتدي.
ونقلت وكالة فرانس برس عن انجي غزلان من المركز المصري لحقوق المرأة قولها ان "هذه هي اول قضية، في حدود علمنا، يصدر فيها حكم بالسجن على شخص لقيامه بالتحرش الجنسي" واضافت ان الحكم الذي اصدره يعتبر درسا للاخرين.

Today's Music mood


MixwitMixwit make a mixtapeMixwit mixtapes

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Yay !!!!! we made our 1st lapbook today.....Alahamdu leLah

Alahamdu leLah we just finished our 1st lapbook ...my youngest DD & me....

WE made a whole lapbook on the letter A....we are both so excited...& finally after pondering with the thought of making a lapbook for so long...I was brave enough to start one ...& sobhan Allah it is soooooooooooo easy....not as hard as I thought it would be...

I have to give credit to the sister from Ummihomeschoolesme....for inspiring me yesterday...I was over at her blog & saw all the wonderful things she did with her own DD...& sobhan Allah she inspired me to do more with my own...Jazaky Allah khayran sister


You can get inspired by the sister HERE


I got all my printables from About.com......HERE & HERE

I took the idea for the cover from Simply Susan blog & I also took a look at the A lapbook at this website


& now it's time for the pictures............drums pleeeease.......


The cover:




The back:



Take a look inside:






It's a pocket lapbook....so she can neatly put away all the sheets relating to the letter A:

Monday, October 13, 2008

أوقات فراغ......أجمد فيلم عربي شفته من زمن طويل

اغنية بنلف لمروان خوري
بنلف دواير .. و الدنيا تلف بينا
دايما ننتهي .. لمطرح مإبتدينا
طيور الفجر تايهه .. في عتمة المدينة بتدور
ما بنكتبش الرسائل .. ما بننتظرش رد
لاحد في يوم سمعنا .. ولا بنسمع حد
طيور العمر تايهة .. في عتمة المدينة بتدور
*******
ساكنين في عالم يعشق الخطر
فيه الطيور تهرب من الشجر
وتهرب النجوم من القمر
وتهرب الوجوه من الصور
بنلف في دواير بندور على الأمان
و نلاقينا رجعنا تاني لنفس المكان
ندور .. ندور .. ندور
**********
نحلم ونحلم بالحياة المفرحه
واتارى احلامنا بلا اجنحه
ندور ندور ندور بجناح حزين مكسور
ساعات نشوف فى العتمه
وساعات نتوة فى النور
ساعات عيونا بالاسى تفرح وساعات فى ساعه الفرح ننوح
ولا حاضر ولا ماضى
تروس بتلف ع الفاضى
ولا فينا شباب زعلان ولا فينا شباب راضى
مفيش غير اننا بندووور ..ندووووور ..ندووووور
بندوووووووووووووووووووووووور

Wednesday, October 08, 2008

A Collage by my youngest DD ..& PLZ don't ask me what it's about...I have no idea....LOL


Playing around with our Legos......

I really love it when the kids play with their lego set.....I think it helps them in building many skills.....
Fine motor skills , Organizational abilities......plus it's lots of fun




The house my oldest created was so nice & she was so proud of herself




Even my 5 year old helped in sorting the peices by colors

She even created her own....emmmm.... thing



Monday, October 06, 2008

Old Arabic Cartoons 4

مغامرات بشار



عدنان و لينا




الليث الأبيض

Old Arabic Cartoons 3

ليدي اوسكار



ساندي بيل



زينة و نحول

Old Arabic Cartoons 2

My 2nd post on old Arabic cartoons...

I start with Sasooki ....to us the world went into stand still once this cartoon was on


ساسوكي




النسر الذهبي...بيبيرو





حكايات عالمية

Sunday, October 05, 2008

Really Rosie

3 songs from the 1975 cartoon Really Rosie.
Written by: Maurice Sendak with music by Carole King



(One was Johnny)




1 was Johnny who lived by himself
2 was a rat who jumped on his shelf
3 was a cat who chased the rat
4 was a dog who came in and sat
5 was a turtle who bit the dog's tail
6 was a monkey who brought in the mail
7 a blackbird pecked poor Johnny's nose

(One was Johnny)

8 was a tiger out selling old clothes
9 was a robber who took an old shoe
10 was a puzzle - what should Johnny do(One was Johnny)

He stood on a chair and said,
Here's what I'll do - I'll start to
Count backwards
And when I am through
If this house isn't empty, I'll eat
All of you!

9 was the robber who left looking pale
8 was the tiger who chased him to jail
7 was the blackbird flew off to Havana
6 was the monkey who stole the banana
5 was the turtle who crawled off to bed
4 was the dog who slid home on a sled

(One was Johnny)

3 was the cat who pounced on the rat
2 was the rat who left with the cat

(One was Johnny, one was Johnny,
One was Johnny)

1 was Johnny who lived by himself
And liked it like that!

(One was Johnny, one was Johnny)










Chicken Soup With Rice



lyrics
January
In January it's so nice
While slipping on the sliding ice
To sip hot chicken soup with rice
Sipping once, sipping twice
Sipping chicken soup with rice

February
In February it will be
My snowman's anniversary
With cake for him and soup for me!
Happy once, happy twice
Happy chicken soup with rice

March
In March the wind blows down the door
And spills my soup upon the floor
It laps it up and roars for more
Blowing once, blowing twice
Blowing chicken soup with rice

April
In April I will go away
To far off Spain or old Bombay
And dream about hot soup all day
Oh, my, oh, once, oh, my, oh, twice
Oh, my, oh, chicken soup with rice

May
In May I truly think it best
To be a robin lightly dressed
Concocting soup inside my nest
Mix it once, mix it twice
Mix that chicken soup with rice

June
In June I saw a charming group
Of roses all begin to droop
I pepped them up with chicken soup!
Sprinkle once, sprinkle twice
Sprinkle chicken soup with rice

July
In July I'll take a peep
Into the cool and fishy deep
Where chicken soup is selling cheap
Selling once, selling twice
Selling chicken soup with rice

August
In August it will be so hot
I will become a cooking pot
Cooking soup of course-why not?
Cooking once, cooking twice
Cooking chicken soup with rice

September
In September, for a while
I will ride a crocodile
Down the chicken soup-y Nile
Paddle once, paddle twice
Paddle chicken soup with rice

October
In October I'll be host
To witches, goblins and a ghost
I'll serve them chicken soup on toast
Whoopy once, whoopy twice
Whoopy chicken soup with rice

November
In November's gusty gale I will flop my flippy tail
And spout hot soup-I'll be a whale!
Spouting once, spouting twice
Spouting chicken soup with rice

December
In December I will be
A baubled, bangled Christmas tree
With soup bowls draped all over me
Merry once, merry twice
Merry chicken soup with rice

I told you once, I told you twice
All seasons of the year are nice
For eating chicken soup with rice






Pierre




Prologue:]
There was once a boy named Pierre
Who only would say, I don't care!
Read his story, my friend, for you'll find
At the end that a suitable
Moral lies there

[Chapter I]

One day his mother said
When Pierre climbed out of bed
-Good morning, darling boy, you are my only joy
Pierre said-I don't care!
-What would you like to eat?
-I don't care!
-Some lovely cream of wheat?
-I don't care!
-Don't sit backwards in your chair
-I don't care!
-Or pour syrup on your hair
-I don't care!
-You are acting like a clown
-I don't care!
-And we have to go to town
-I don't care!
-Don't you want to come, my dear?
-I don't care!
-Would you rather stay right here?
-I don't care!
So his mother left him there

[Chapter II]

His father said-Get off your head
Or I will march you up to bed!
Pierre said-I don't care!
-I would think that you could see -
-I don't care!
-Your head is where your feet should be!
-I don't care!
-If you keep standing upside down -
-I don't care!
-We'll never get to town
-I don't care!
-If only you would say, I care
-I don't care!
-I'd let you fold the folding chair
-I don't care!
So his parents left him there
They didn't take him anywhere

[Chapter III]

Now as the night began to fall
A hungry lion paid a call
He looked Pierre right in the eye
And asked him if he'd like to die
Pierre said-I don't care!
-I can eat you, don't you see?
-I don't care!
-And you will be inside of me
-I don't care!
-Then you will never have to bother -
-I don't care!
-With a mother and a father
-I don't care!
-Is that all you have to say?
-I don't care!
-Then I'll eat you, if I may
-I don't care!
So the lion ate Pierre

[Chapter IV]

Arriving home at six o'clock
His parents had a dreadful shock!
They found the lion sick in bed and cried
-Pierre is surely dead!
They pulled the lion by the hair
They hit him with the folding chair
His mother asked-Where is Pierre?
The lion answered-I don't care!
His father said-Pierre's in there!

[Chapter V]

They rushed the lion into town
The doctor shook him up and down
And when the lion gave a roar
Pierre fell out upon the floor
He rubbed his eyes and scratched his head
And laughed because he wasn't dead
His mother cried and held him tight
His father asked-Are you allright?
Pierre said-I am feeling fine
Please take me home, it's half past nine

The lion said-If you would care
To climb on me, I'll take you there
Then everyone looked at Pierre
Who shouted-Yes, indeed, I care!
The lion took them home to rest
And stayed on as a weekend guest
The moral of Pierre is: CARE!

Old Arabic Cartoons 1

Now this post is very sentimental....I used to watch these cartoons as a kid with my brother & sister...this is before the age of 24/7 cartooning....we were glad we had 2 hours of cartoons each day...the cartoons compared to what I watch with my kids were incredibly pure & naive....& educational....
Sigh...I wish these cartoons would be shown again somewhere...& that my kids have a chance to see them...until this happens..they continue to enjoy watching these videos that I downloaded from youtube with me ..& I think they enjoy watching me getting all excited about the songs .....singing & dancing around with my childhood tunes...

The 1st video is LULU ....the fun filled girl with her friend
Nofee7*a :




& then there was SENAN with all these tear jerking scenes when he talked to his mommy up in the moon....



The white whale....

Arabic Nasheeds

نشيد لتعليم الحروف الهجائية




نشيد حروف الهجاء




نشيد الارقام





أغنية الحروف الهجائية (ألف باء تاء ثاء) - افتح يا سمسم



Arabic Alphabet Nasheed

ذهب الليل

An amazing song by the great Mohammed Fawzy...May Allah bless his soul







ذهب الليل وطلع الفجر والعصفور صوصو صوصو
شاف القطة قالها بسبس قالتلة نونو نونو
ذهب الليل وطلع الفجر والعصفور صوصو صوصو
شاف القطة قالها بسبس قالتلة نونو نونو
ماما قالتله سيب القطة وخاليها فى حالها
فات مدرسته ورمى كراستة وراح جر شكلها
راحت القطة مخربشة ايده لما مسك ديلها
وادى جزاة اللى مايسمعش كلمة ما ما قالتها
ذهب الليل وطلع الفجر والعصفور صوصو صوصو
شاف القطة قالها بسبس قالتلة نونو نونو
ابله قالتلى فيفى الحلوه زعلت من سوسو
سوسو راح يصالحا وبسها وهى حلفت ماتبوسه بوسه
جابت الحبر وعاصت ايدها وجت بشويش جنبه
مسحت ايدها فى وشه وعملت قال ايه بتلاعبه
سوسو ضربها ومسك الحبر اللى فى ايدها وقلبه على فستانها
وشافهم بابا وضربها وضربه
ذهب الليل وطلع الفجر والعصفور صوصو صوصو
شاف القطة قالها بسبس قالتلة نونو نونو
ندر عليا اجيلكوا واولع شمعه من شمعه من شمعه
لحد الشبر ونص مايكبر ويروح الجامعة الجامعة
ميمى دكتور وسعاد دكتورة واحنا ندعيلكم
وصلاح يبقى محامى وتوت قاضى يصالحكم
وعصام بكره حيبقى ظابط ويدافع عنكوا يفدى وادى النيل بحياته وحياته منكم
ذهب الليل وطلع الفجر والعصفور صوصو صوصو
شاف القطة قالها بسبس قالتلة نونو نونو

ABC songs

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom





A told B, and B told C, "I'll meet you at the top of the coconut tree."
"Wheel!" said D to E F G, "I'll beat you to the top of the coconut tree."
Chicka chicka boom boom! Will there be enough room? Here comes H up the coconut tree,
and I and J and tag-along K, all on their way up the coconut tree.
Chicka chicka boom boom! Will there be enough room? Look who's coming! L M N O P!
And Q R S! And T U V! Still more - W! And X Y Z!
The whole alphabet up the - Oh, no! Chicka chicka... BOOM! BOOM!
Skit skat skoodle doot. Flip flop flee. Everybody running to the coconut tree.
Mamas and papas and uncles and aunts hug their little dears, then dust their pants.
"Help us up," cried A B C.
Next from the pileup skinned-knee D and stubbed-toe E and patched-up F. Then comes G all out of breath.
H is tangled up with I. J and K are about to cry. L is knotted like a tie.
M is looped. N is stopped. O is twisted alley-oop. Skit skat skoodle doot. Flip flop flee.
Look who's coming! It's black-eyed P, Q R S, and loose-tooth T. Then U V W wiggle-jiggle free.
Last to come X Y Z. And the sun goes down on the coconut tree...
But - chicka chicka boom boom! Look, there's a full moon.
A is out of bed, and this is what he said, "Dare double dare, you can't catch me. I'll beat you up the top of the coconut tree."Chicka chicka BOOM! BOOM


Alligators All Around


Carol King



A - alligators all around

B - bursting balloons

C - catching colds

D - doing dishes

E - entertaining elephants

F - forever fooling

G - getting giggles

H - having headaches

I - imitating Indians

J - juggling jellybeans

K - keeping kangaroos

L - looking like lions

M - making macaroni

N - never napping

O - ordering oatmeal

P - pushing people

Q - quite quarrelsome

R - riding reindeer

S - shockingly spoiled

T - throwing tantrums

U - usually upside down

V - very vain

W - wearing wigs

X - x-ing x's

Y - yackety-yacking

Z - zippity zound

A - alligators ALL around!




Simple ABC song:


Saturday, October 04, 2008

Youtube Heaven


I found a new toy I can play with it's a simple software to download youtube videos ImTOO...Once I downloaded the software I spent hours browsing & downloading some really neat stuff...


I downloaded educational songs for the kids....I also found somethings for me ......some old cartoons I watched as a child...you just had to see me screaming & going up & down in excitment ....my kiddos were looking at me & wondering what happened to Mommy...lol...


In the next few posts I will in sha Allah upload some of the videos with lyrics when possible....


Wednesday, October 01, 2008

At the moment we are reading.....

I'm trying to re-establish a night time routine for the girls...so I let them choose a book ...each...to read before bed....

My oldest wants to read about the prophet peace & blessings upon him...so we are reading this book:

My youngest DD is really enjoying this book ....& I'm thrilled we are already in chapter 3...



It's really an enjoyable experience for me too because ..in the 1st book I'm really enjoying the illustrations wich are really unique...& at last I found a book talking about religion without only featuring the Kuffar....alhamdu lelah

It's also my 1st time to read Lewis Carroll's Alice....needless to say reading the book is actually better than so many of the TV versions I saw & made me hate Alice's guts...except ofcourse for Disney's version I think that was brilliant....

As I was browsing online I saw that Tim Burton is doing his own version of Alice in 2010.....I'll be looking forward to that....after all Johnny Depp is playing the mad hatter....

Where the Wild Things Are

This is my Youngest DD's favourite bed time story at the moment...
I read it to her 20 + times & counting....