Generous Ramadan!!


Ramadan, a holy month of fasting, prayer, and community for Muslims is right around the corner. It’s a time to reflect on faith, spend with family, and give to charity. It’s also a perfect time to get creative with family and friends.

My friend at Lulu+Jasmin has some fun stencils, tattoos, and posters in her shop that you can use to make beautiful greeting cards, and unique crafts, and create endless projects for the upcoming holiday or any future event. 
Here are some Ramadan facts: 
  • Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. 
  • During Ramadan, Muslims don’t eat or drink anything during daylight hours. 
  • The meal Muslims eat before sunrise is called Suhoor. 
  • The meal Muslims eat after sunset to break their fast is called Iftar. 
  • The end of Ramadan is celebrated with Eid ul-Fitr, the Festival of the Breaking of the Fast. 

How can you celebrate Ramadan with kids? 

  • Decorate the house
  • Bake treats
  • Mark the days with a calendar
  • Volunteer or give to charity
  • Be kind to others
  • Make snacks for Iftar
  • Include children’s friends
  • Encourage children to participate in fasting
  • Introduce children to charitable giving
 What are some greetings for Ramadan?
“Ramadan Mubarak” and “Ramadan Kareem” are common greetings during Ramadan, meaning “Have a Blessed or Generous Ramadan”. 

Artist: Lia Weiss

I found these beautiful pieces of artwork in an old sketch book that Lia had a couple of years ago. Maybe she was around 8 or 9 years old. Kids have such an imagination. So raw and natural. No limits. I miss that.

Dreidel dreidel dreidel

We made you out of clay, and when you’re dry and ready we hope that you will spin.

This is our first year making our own dreidels out of clay. The kids are older and can actually do this kind of stuff on their own. I actually sat back and watched this while eating some pumpkin pie. This was dad’s idea, anything that has to do with using your hands to create something is his cup of tea. He’s so good at that.

We used polymer clay. The clay was as hard as a brick when we opened it. I read that baby oil would soften it up, so they went ahead and baby oiled the clay, and continued to knead it until it softened up. It took a few minutes but soon enough they were able to start sculpting their individual dreidels. We popped them in the oven at 275 degrees for about 45 minutes, maybe more and out came these adorable dreidels. Tomorrow we will see whose dreidel does the best job spinning. I bet it will be dad’s.

Hot cocoa bombs

I am so proud of these hot cocoa bombs and I didn’t even make them. My two oldest, Isabel and Melina did! (And actually we could have never gotten through them without lias help in watching little liam) I bought the molds for Christmas but they got here late so the other day Isabel decided it was time to make them. I Was kinda hesitant thinking “oh dear another mess to clean up!” But oh my goodness, these were so easy and fun to make! I watched as they hot bombed away. Its crazy for me to think that my kids are at an age where they are self sufficient for the most part and can create things in the kitchen without my assistance. They do however leave everything for me to clean, but I don’t mind. I’m always right there on top of them making sure things don’t get too messy…I’m pretty annoying like that. Anyhow,  just love the way my kids dive into stuff like this. I was reluctant to make these, worried they would bomb, not in a good way and my daughters proved the only way to make them was to try!!! Love you girls!!! And you too Liam!

What the world needs now is ART sweet Art.

I set up a little art studio in our dining room knowing this would become one of our favorite spots in the house. I have yet to sit and create something but I feel like it’s the best gift I can give to the family right now. It’s been a great outlet for the kids. While Amir works night and day to sustain us, I’m trying to find ways to keep us all mentally healthy and happy.

A time to create

Painting by Lia Weiss

The girls have been keeping super busy creating beautiful artwork. In these uncertain times  I have realized a couple of things, one is that I always wanted to homeschool the girls and well,  here’s my opportunity! Two, I always wanted to have an art studio for kids, well here is another opportunity and three,  I always wanted the family home together for more than just on the weekends, well here’s my opportunity and I’m embracing each and everyone. Praying we all get through this unaffected by the negative and effected by the positive.

Underground Barbie AKA B.I.T.B

You’ll often hear my girls say to eachother B.I.T.B? This is what they say to one another when one of them wants to play Barbies In The Basement. It’s become one of their go to activity together. My girls have a love for barbie. I love that they are all into it and that it’s something they love to play together. Since we moved two years ago, their barbie collection has grown immensely. They have free range of our entire unfinished basement and have used almost every square inch of space to build an entire barbie community. They have scenerios they come up with and then they play it out. For instance, one day they plan a birthday party, or a baby shower or a family is playing a soccer tournament and all of the girls play based on this event. The barbies have real families and stories. They have jobs and responsibilities. Some of the families have foster and adopted children. They all have names and the girls can name each and every one of them. They can get lost in playing for hours, but the play sometimes comes to an abrupt ending due to a disagreement between what the barbies should and should not be doing. I love how their imagination sparks. It’s not just playing but theres alot of creativity going on too. They built bunk beds out of card board, book cases, and other household furnishings. They’ve made bounce and play areas, and mini books using magazine cut outs. They’ve built laundry rooms, custom made beds, closets, garages. Theres so much thought and detail involved. I tell them when they get older the three of them should open a real Barbie Land where little girls and boys can go and play everything and anything barbie.  I wish I was their sister! We would have had so much fun together and fights too, but the fun definatley outweighs the fights. I hope they remember these days forever. They are so blessed to be here on this earth together as sisters and have the opportunity to play together.