Summer Recap

We had a great summer. Yusuf is 9, Nooriya is 7. They have just started 4th and 2nd grade, and I have just realized that I am not blogging nearly enough.

I was looking at old videos from when they were 5 and 3, and I found myself feeling so very sentimental. Then I read old blog posts about the funny things they used to say at those ages, and knew that I need to capture more of those moments now, for when I am sentimental about 9 and 7 :)

Lamia's wedding was in July - it was the most fun I have had at a wedding since my own. We had so many relatives fly in, including Aziz and his family. They stayed with us, which meant cousin-togetherness time, and that makes me so very happy. The wedding itself was family-togetherness time, and we all got to hang out day after day after day. Taking crazy pictures and laughing a lot and feeling lucky. Alhamdolillah, it was awesome.

Nooriya was mesmerized by the wedding and by Lamia- when Lamia slow-danced with Shabbir, Nooriya leaned against a pillar and watched them with stars in her eyes. The way she was gazing at them was something almost everyone in our family noticed. Since then, she has been planning her own wedding, which I have had to tell her is extremely premature!

We also went to the Shine Festival, where we got to send our lanterns up into the sky and be a part of something so magical and surreal. 

Two days later, my birthday, we had a solar eclipse. We pulled the kids out of school for a half an hour to watch it- we sat outside the school with a handful of other parents and students, donned our special eclipse glasses, and took part in something historical and amazing. 

This semester Yusuf is in soccer and tennis. His soccer coach is awesome, so Yusuf is enjoying soccer so much more. He told me the other day that he was excited all day long about getting to soccer practice. I love hearing that. 

Nooriya is in gymnastics and cheerleading. She sprained her wrist a couple of weeks ago and it is extremely slow to heal, since she won't give it a rest. She has a game today for cheer and tells me her wrist feels fine, so let's see.

Both kids have been focusing lately on choosing experiences over things. They are noticing when others are unkind, and vowing not to behave that way. They are sharing what they have and really absorbing the lesson that if even if you only have a dollar, you have enough to share. They are saying Alhamdolillah. 

Yusuf is into Greek mythology now since he's into the Percy Jackson series and the two series that come after it. He is also into inventions and whistling and his clarinet, which he just started a week ago. 

Nooriya is leading some sort of cheer club during recess with her friend Lexi, and they have a huge following of 1st graders who come and try out for their club. She has run into mean-girl behavior but we talk about it and she is learning how to shrug it off as not her problem. She just told me a joke: "what do you call the Eagles cheerleaders if they're mad?" - Angry Birds! (Disclaimer, I made this joke an hour ago and she's passing it off as her own)

Both kids love sleeping in the "kacha" under the stairs in the basement, which I do admit is an incredibly comfy and cozy little nest. I love that place. They are allowed to sleep there on Fri and Sat nights and anytime there's a break from school. 

All caught up, sort of :)

Alhamdolillah!