Summer break started early this year. We were away most of May and June and braced ourselves to spend Ramadan and Eid in the U.S. with a visit to Canada and a lot of hip-hopping between states in the South and North. We were on some very intentional missions to reconnect with relatives and friends … Continue reading Where We’ve Been All Summer
Since meeting Bea Johnson last year, our family has revisited many of our lifestyle choices to reduce our plastic waste. One of the many changes has been to stop buying liquid detergent and opt for powdered detergent in a cardboard box. The box packaging was great, but the powdered detergent wasn’t dissolving well in our … Continue reading EcoEgg Review: An Alternative to Laundry Detergent
I retired the term “best friend” many years ago. It seemed like after a certain age, the people I gave the title to couldn’t handle it with care. My elementary school best friend was great; but thereafter, the best friends I chose didn't treat me so well. And the fact that my expectations were so high, … Continue reading What to Do When Your Best Friend Visits Oman
When it comes to money, we live by three principles: only spend what you can afford to; repay debts as soon as possible; and spend with principle, purpose, and longevity in mind. What this translates to in our lives is that we rent our apartment, own a used car, and have limited possessions. Such a … Continue reading Living Debt-Free and Staying That Way!
More than a month ago, I was contacted to freelance as a researcher for a sustainable tourism project. I have since completed the project and in doing so had a chance to really reflect on Oman’s continual growth and evolution and fall in love with her all over again. I’ve been enchanted by Oman for … Continue reading My Five Favorite Services in Muscat
Soy is everywhere. In our burgers and bread, mayonnaise and macaroni; it’s hard to escape. For years, we ate soy religiously and cried blasphemy when critics said it would mess up our hormones because we didn’t see any untoward effect. We loved the taste and found it to be a convenient and delicious alternative to … Continue reading What Happened When I Quit Soy
Since returning home to Oman from summer break, everyone has been asking “How was London?” Though I technically was in London for an entire week, most of my time was spent at The Big Reconnect Sleepover (TBRS) in the countryside. We were geographically in London but spiritually elsewhere. The sisterhood we developed in less than five … Continue reading Reflecting on The Big Reconnect Sleepover
On long-haul flights I catch up on a year’s worth of cinema. When Z was little, we packed an arsenal of activities and books to avoid screen time, but now we just succumb. For a household that doesn’t own a television, we’re resigned to the fact that a few hours of non-stop, in-flight entertainment won’t … Continue reading Why Every Mom Needs a “Tully”
Since my kids were born, I've never spent a day without them. A few hours, at most, but never a night nor a day without my little ones. For all of Z's seven and a half of years of life and Moulay's three, we've been together--living, traveling, unschooling, playing. You get the picture. But next week for … Continue reading Leaving My Kids for the Very First Time!
Belated Blessed Eid, dear friends! The month of fasting has passed, along with the subsequent celebration of breaking the fast. We scooted up to Abu Dhabi for our five-day weekend and delightfully ended our last day of Ramadan with very dear friends we know from the U.S. but didn’t fully bond with until sharing the … Continue reading RAWmadan in Review
Raggamuslims 