Blueberry Muffins are delicious!

Blueberry muffins are a delicious treat for suhoor, so if you sisters can get up early enough make your families or yourself some muffins. My Mom made them for my family this morning complete with oatmeal. Very filling, and I'm not even hungry yet. Ramadan went very quickly! We only have 11/12 days left depending on the sighting of the moon, alhamdulilah! I got this really pretty Cinderella-copy baby blue dress. It's so pretty, but now I need a nice cardigan, hijab, socks, jewelry, and a hijab. Insha allah on Saturday I will be doing henna to make money for those things, and a few gifts.

Speaking of gifts, I knit my friend A a pair of fingerless gloves. I can't find the name of the pattern I used to give you an idea of what they look like, but they are so pretty. I really want to keep them for myself. Lol. They are a soft lime green with a lime green bow. Then I made my mother a cowl, scarf, shawl thing. It's the Irish Hiking Scarf but I knit it on big needles so that it could be 3-in-1. Next I'm knitting my little sister a Zig Zag Trellis Scarf. Insha allah I will have that finished before Eid if I work hard enough. I still have to knit a few pairs of slippers, some more fingerless gloves, and maybe another scarf if I have time. If not, I'll just buy the rest of the gifts that I have to give.

We have been going to Iftar night at the masjid every Saturday and Sunday. There is so much good food there, the sisters in my community really know how to cook! I have so much fun when I go. My friends are always there, and we have a table reserved for us that we sit at every Iftar Night. Alhamdulilah, I have amazing friends. This Ramadan is going way too quickly. I'm getting used to breaking my fast and fasting so much that it doesn't really feel like anything anymore. These days of Ramadan are like clock work. A typical day for me, get up for suhoor, make fajr, read quran, go do school work, make zuhr, take hour nap, clean house, prepare iftar, more qu'ran/arabic, exercise, Isha/Taraweeh, bed time. Then it starts all over again.

The Qu'ran reading is going great. I'm still memorizing surah al-Fajr. It's a beautiful surah, but it's taking me awhile to memorize it. My younger brother has memorized more of it than I have, but we all work at different paces. Speaking of learning, school started yesterday so I'm doubly busy.

This Ramadan has been amazing for me so far! I love Ramadan, I love being Muslim! Alhamdulilah! May Allah bless and guide us all! -Nisa

Charity, Kindness, and Random musings

Today I really am feeling hungry, but I can handle it. I'm keeping my mind off the idea that hunger pain sharks are ripping at my stomach. OK, so it's not that bad. It's just uncomfortable. I believe I am keeping control of my temper. Haven't had an argument with my siblings yet. If they do something to irk my nerve, I just keep it low-key. Doing a great job over here, alhamdulilah! :D

Last night we did attend taraweeh prayer. I wore my blue abaya with a blue hijab and white under cap. My friends were all there. The sheik let his son and brother lead a few of the prayers this time, so we had three different types of recitations last night. Alhamdulilah, it was really nice. There were more men there than usual, but not many more women. That's usually the case at our masjid. My friends were talking of an organized sleep-over at the masjid. The young sisters in one room, and the brothers in another big room. To be quite honest, I don't think I would feel comfortable. For one, if we have to sleep in hijab that is no fun. If we don't, what if someone comes in? Two, I don't like waking up looking at a whole bunch of people who have just woken up. Three, what if someone steps on me while trying to get to the bathroom? No thank you, sleeping over at the masjid seems like a terrible idea. Maybe a huge late night get-together, but not a sleep over.
This morning for suhoor we had cheerios, apple sauce, and water. My Mom wasn't feeling well so we were expecting her to cook. I can cook, but I don't like to cook. Rather not risk burning our suhoor, so we just ate cereal. It was really yummy anyhow. I am still trying to memorize surah al-fajr. Tonight insha allah I will do Qu'ran. I don't know if we will be attending taraweeh at the masjid tonight. We'll see what my Dad says.

I have been thinking about giving charity. On my own. As an individual. What could I give as charity? I don't have much money, but I can knit. So I think I will find an organization to knit preemie baby hats for. That would be such a nice thing to do. I love babies. So insha allah I will try to do my best. What about you? May allah bless and reward us all! -Nisa

All I can think about is food...

This is the fourth day of Ramadan. I missed yesterdays post. You know how Mondays are, hectic. So, on Monday we had Oatmeal mixed with unsweetened apple sauce. It was soooo good, and so filling. It kept me full all through the day. I wasn't even really hungry until 7 PM came around, and the hunger pains started their attack. Alhamdulilah, that was a wholesome suhoor. Then we had Spanish rice and chicken for Iftar. We did not pray taraweeh at the masjid, my brother led it at home instead. Yesterday went by so quickly, I forgot that I was fasting. I practiced the surah Al-fajr yesterday for my daily dose of qu'ran. Beautiful surah with a beautiful meaning.

Today for suhoor we had cereal. I had Apple jacks and a banana. Yummy! I do not know what we will have for iftar tonight. I do think we are going to attend Taraweeh at the masjid tonight, so insha allah we will go. I will probably wear my blue abaya to the prayers if we do go. It is a little heavy, but I can handle it. It's not all that hot today either. It's actually very cool. Allah is ever merciful! I'm going to read surah al-fajr again today, insha allah. I have no idea what I will be buying for my friends for Eid. I will probably go to two festivals to do henna to make money. Then I can buy an Eid outfit, and gifts for my family & friends. May Allah bless and reward us all! - Nisa

I'm hungry!

This morning for suhoor my family had Oatmeal and peaches. It was delicious! I'm feeling a little hungry now though, but I think it's because we went out to visit Grandparents today and my aunt was cooking. So now I feel a little weak and hungry, but I only have three hours left! We read a few more pages of Surah al-baqarah after Fajr in both English and Arabic. My reading is getting better, alhamdulilah. Little bro still needs some help, but he reads very well.

I think my family is doing an amazing job of keeping good temper. No one seems irritated at all, and I know that I'm doing my best to avoid argument. That's probably one of my worst traits, quick tempered. Last night we attended Taraweeh prayer again at the masjid and we had Iftar there. I ate Moroccan cous cous, fried chicken, russian salad, Spanish rice, spiced chicken, and mixed rice. Oh, and a piece of chocolate frosted cake. When we came home I had some ice cream, a chocolate donut, and some pistachio nuts. Believe it or not, I did NOT eat as much as it seems. It all tasted /really/ good though. I mean, really.

So insha allah we will probably attend taraweeh prayer again. My Dad is making chicken enchiladas tonight for iftar. I truly do love Ramadan. May allah bless and reward us all - Nisa

Taraweeh Outfit: Summer Grass Green

If you attend taraweeh after Isha at the masjid on iftar nights, you want something nice, but not too formal to wear. I usually wear a nice skirt or slacks with a long, long blouse. The outfit I created below is a beautiful green, perfect for summer and beginning of fall wear. Please sisters, do not forget to bring socks with you to the masjid. Your feet must be covered so that you can make prayer.

I am so in love with that brooch and hijab! I am still trying to find the perfect green hijab because it goes really nice with the color of my skin. The only green hijab I have is a really dark green, but it's way too thick. I like hijabs that are thin, and easy to wrap. Oh, from the conference that we went to so that we could give out speech I bought two hijabs. One is a pale pink, and the other is a hot pink and black color. Both were really cheap, and they're really nice! In fact, I'm wearing the hot pink & black one to iftar at the masjid tonight insha allah. :) May allah bless and reward us all! -Nisa