I had some nice news today. I recently asked my new employers about a prayer space or room and my manager said she would for arrange me a temporary space and ask the planners for the new building we are moving to about a more permanent area to pray in. She told me today that […]

When I think ahead to the routine in the evenings during Ramadan, it all seems so positive: feeding and putting the babies to bed early, catching up with my Ramadan reading, spending a little time in the kitchen before sitting down with my family to make intense and lengthy dua (supplication), before opening the fast […]

A sister recently left a comment in a blog post asking for career advice on whether she should take up a position that she felt that she might not be up to.  From her writing on her blog, I can tell she is intelligent and insightful, I have no doubt that she could do what […]

I like the idea of choosing a word for the year but because it helps to focus on one theme or area of my life that I can work on. My word for 2015 was shukr, or gratefulness. My intention was to become more grateful for every big and small blessing in my life, but more […]

Little Man actually finished Quran last year, but with a new baby and my little sisters wedding, we pushed his celebration to a few months later instead. We had considered a day out for the family instead or a boys day out with his dad to somewhere like go-karting, but the horrible weather and cost put […]

I feel like the blog has been quite serious in recent times, must be something about your kids turning from enthusiastic, fun little bundles of noise and mess, to eye-rolling, moaning teenagers.  Or maybe it’s something about getting older and feeling more rebellious and not wanting to do it all anymore.  Still I have Gorgeous, […]

I did an interview for You, Me & Religion months ago and then forgot all about it until this week when the blog contacted me to let me know that the interview had been published.  An excerpt is below and you can read the full interview here, including the very interesting comments.  Would love you to visit […]

What a horrid morning. I woke up feeling so miserable today and spent the whole morning veering between rage and sadness, with everyone feeling the brunt of it. The house is still being refurbished and we are still living in two rooms. Everyone has colds and coughs and keeping everyone organised and with a routine […]

I am debating whether to turn this post into a full on rant, but I think it’s sometimes more useful to be reflective than angry. We are more than half way through the holidays and the refrain of “we are bored” and “what do we do when you’re not at home” has been ongoing. I […]

Yesterday morning I had a miserable time, made worse by an argument with a Dr’s receptionist that pushed me right to the edge.  I am a very honest and open person, I blog about how my real life is  – both the good times and the hard ones. I am by nature upbeat, positive and […]

I loved how the dresses for the wedding turned out.  Fashionista originally wanted to go for hot pink, but took one look at this dress and decided she had found the one.  After hunting all over London (Green Street, Ilford Lane, Southall), she found this in Birmingham.  We made a second trip with her to […]

I have been trying to be very careful with money recently as I know I can be an impulse buyer.  I have been cooking at home, learning to make do with things that are less than perfect rather than rush to replace them and getting organised with my money in general. The exception has been […]

It’s very in vogue now to say that we won’t smack our children; this is probably a good thing. In the UK there have been attempts by various groups to bring laws into effect that ban smacking, although they have been defeated by the Peers in the House of Lords. My parents and grandparents grew […]

I lost it today.I really, really lost it. BIG time. So much for “peaceful parenting” and articles in the NY Times on the topic – I feel like a bit of a hypocrite at the moment. Boy did I lose it today. image source After a stressful week at work with longer hours, lack of […]