Cupcakes!

So I now have a cupcake pan and just had to put it to good use. I used the recipe from this post and this frosting.



Dawood frosted that wonky one!

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Random Update

This week has felt so long. We just got back from visiting my dad in Alex, and my brother was here for a few days. It was great to see him and spend some quality time together.

We went swimming and it was so much fun. I love being in the water and could stay all day long. It's a feeling like no other. Of course the kids had a blast and showed E their swimming skills.

My awesome brother, Omar brought me some wonderful goodies from the US like magazines, candy and other cool stuff. Thanks again, O.

I did a bit o' shopping in Alex and Cairo as well. No luck finding any casual abayas I liked, but I got a couple of new scarves, a pair of shoes and some hijab pins. I can't have too many hijab pins. Oh and I also found the black rose ring I was looking for at Claire's. I love it so.

Ramadan is coming soon so we're looking forward to that, inshaAllah. We still have to do the summer homework the school assigned the kids. Bummer right? How annoying. Even Safiyah in KG has HW. InshaAllah it will be good to get that out of the way before Ramadan starts.

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Skin Care

Do you follow a skin care regimen? I go through phases. Sometimes I'm really good and do each step and sometimes I'm lax and don't wash my face before bed or use moisturizer.

Right now I'm trying to keep up the habit and use the day/night/eye creams. For cleansing I rotate Garnier cleanser and Nivea milk depending on what I feel like, no real rhyme or reason. I scrub 2x a week with Asprin or this Avon scrub, and use a mask 2 times a week as well. No specific days just random.

I'm using Loreal Revitalift because I'm getting up there in the numbers. The stupid thing is, I don't think the day cream has SPF. I have some freckles from the sun that I've grown to get used to, but I don't want to get anymore. I'm sure those are from stupid days with no sunblock. When I'm going to be in the sun like going to the kids' swim practice or out running errands during the day, I just slather on the kids' sunscreen. I guess when I finish this, I want to find a good all in one face cream. Anyone know a good one?

Tonight the girls wanted to do a "facial" like me so I let them do a gentle yogurt honey mask. Not that little girls need it but it was just a fun thing. It was funny, I would have taken a picture but they were like, are you gonna put it on the website? So yea they didn't want that out there.

What's your skin care routine?

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Lasagna

This is the easiest Lasagna recipe ever. I had more layers and just used a little more sauce, adding ground beef to it, and put some beshamel over the top along with chopped parsley. I let it sit for about 15-20 minutes before cutting/serving.

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MYOB

So I'm sitting at my kids' swimming practice, minding my business, reading my book, and this woman starts making small talk. I try to be polite and I say something about the kids and smile then go back to reading, a few times, hoping she gets the hint.

She doesn't.

She goes on and asks me if I ever thought about joining a gym, and goes into her issues about her weight and starts writing some herbs I need to get from the spice shop. I really don't know what to say or how to respond so I just thanked her and took the paper. Thankfully practice was over by now. Annoying.

Why do some people think they can get all in your business?

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Uncalled For

Recently I had my children's photos taken for passport renewal and when I got the pictures back something looked off. I was in a hurry so I didn't look at them very closely besides while the guy was cutting them, until I went home.

They photo-shopped my kids' passport pictures. I was a little shocked that this was a normal practice since I definitely didn't ask for that. These are identification photos, not glamour shots! I can't see why children would need to be airbrushed into animation anyway. I thought about going back and complaining but I'm pretty sure it wouldn't do any good. I just hope they will be fine for the passports. I guess it's not that bad. They just look like kids with perfect, flawless, pore-less skin or something.

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Good Times

Yesterday was great. We always have a fun day when we go over Jujey's house.

The kids had a water balloon fight while we caught up and then we went to the beach. The water was so nice. I could have stayed in there for hours. I love the beach here. Light waves, clear shallow waters, it's so calming. The kids had fun with the boats.

Later we (Jujey) made a delicious lunch. Rice, beef stir fry and bulgur. I was so hungry, I forgot to take a pic and just dug in.

I even scored some hijabs off her. Check it out.

Can you tell I like turquoise?

Nothing beats good food and good conversation. And laughs. Lots of laughs. ;)

My souvenir.

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Snickerdoodle Blondies

So I wanted to bake something last night but I didn't have chocolate for chips in traditional blondies, so I found this recipe. You know those yummy spicy snickerdoodle cookies? These are like that but chewy like a blondie/brownie. I'm a cinnamon lover so these were great.

Next time I'd cut them in to half this size, they're pretty sweet. Like my new mug?



Off topic, E always picks me up any new and interesting beverages he finds at the store and this one was yummy. Straight outta Lebanon, a color not found in nature but oh so fruity. We also have flavored sparkling water here now, called H2 Oh, I love the apple one.

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All things Americana

I've been feeling really nostalgic about the US lately.

Cue "God Bless America"

I was watching a movie the other day and got emotional just watching a short scene depicting a typical tree lined American street as a car pulled into the drive way and kids biked down the sidewalk and played in the front yard.

I miss barbecues/picnics in the park, ice cream trucks, yard sales, public libraries, extended family and about 5,936 other things in the states. I'm slowly allowing myself to have hope of going for a visit some time in the foreseeable future, inshaAllah.

Happy Independence Day!

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What We've Been Up To

So yea, I missed blogging and reading blogs while I was away, and realized I haven't really posted much here, lately. I've been meaning to write about our little trip since we got back a few days ago but just needed to re-do the layout. I wanted something more clean and simple.

So the kids and I went to visit my dad and my sister was in town and had a fun couple of days. My sister and I had some serious laughs. We went swimming on the hottest day of the year yet, saw '3sal Eswed again, and went to the Alexandria Library.

Playing cards, a very Egyptian past time.

When we went to the library, we took a bus and it was, erm.. an interesting experience. First there was this guy selling candies and went about tossing packets on each passenger's laps coming around to collect the pay on the way back out. Then, a man came on the bus begging, then crying about his medical condition and I almost lost it right on the bus. He was pleading and making duaa and had a bloody tissue in his hand. I gave him some money and then felt unsure when my dad said it could all be a show. Only Allah knows but I hate to think of it, the way he was going on.

Anyway, the library was beautiful and very organized. A little too organized if you ask me, but I think that's what you have to do with the Egyptian public. Unfortunately the kids' area was members only. It was still great to see, lots of exhibits and beautiful architecture. I'd stay all day if I could.

We spent a few days in Damanhour, where E is from, and came home.

Here are the kids at a garden/park there.

Cute kitties!

We came home to beautiful flowers, a "Welcome Home" sign and dinner cooked by E! It was very sweet. Oh,I almost forgot the best part, he cleaned up the apartment! It was a great relief to come home to after a looong ride.

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