This past weekend my parents and sister came into town to visit both me and my brother.  Friday night we were at my brother’s place for iftar.  My bhabi had made quite a spread of food.  I did happen to think it was quite blog-worthy, despite what she thought.  The food she made hit the spot, after a long day of fasting.  The chocolate cake at the end of the evening was to die-for.  It was the type of cake that when you’re first offered it you think, I’m too full to eat it, but then when you see it, your start thinking about how much milk you’ll need to take it down.  Delicious!

After eating, the men went for tarawih, and I got to spend time with just the girls.  It was a lot of fun unwinding with Ammi, Ummy, Fahma, Hunno, my puhpo and Jenny.  We talked about purses, sales, cooking, and everything girly in between.  I felt so relaxed leaning against the coach in front of my puhpo, having her pinch my cheeks, and tell me I’m made of milai.

When the men came back, the rest of Saqib’s family left back home, but the two of us stayed behind with my family and did a half exchange of Eid gifts.  Basically, nothing was wrapped and things were being pulled out of giant Bed Bath and Beyond plastic bags :)  One person, who shall remain unnamed, came into the room ho-ho-hoing like it was Christmas time… haraam!  Just kidding, just kidding.

Saqib and my dad left for the masjid, and I stayed behind so I could snuggle with my ammi.  Man was I exhausted.  When I hit the pillow I was OUT.  My eyes opened again right in time for sahur.  I couldn’t stomach much, so I had some Cookie Crisp.  We prayed fajr and then Saqib and I headed back home.  On the drive back it just *felt* like it had been layltul Qadr.  It was nice to know I spent it in the company of my family :)

Saturday morning I pulled myself out of bed early and got started on cooking for dinner for that evening.  At night my parents and local relatives were coming over for iftar.  I didn’t make much, Ummy did most of the cooking.  I baked some penne rigate and a chocolate pie, which OMG, was soo good!  Yes, I just said OMG, but it was only to emphasize how much the pie makes me brain dead after I eat it!! It was so easy to make.

I took 6 hershey bars with almonds and melted them in a bowl over boiling water.  I add like a 1/4 cup of milk to make it alittle more fluid.  After it melted, I took it off the heat, and added enough Cool Whip to the chocolate to take it from being dark brown to light brown.  Once I added that, I realized I didn’t have enough filling to fill my pie crust, so I tried to be creative, pulled out a box of instant chocolate pudding, and mixed that up and added it to the melted chocolate.  Finally I had enough, poured it into the pie crust and stuck it into the fridge.  Later I took it out, sprinkled some cocoa on top and added some sliced almonds and then put it in the freezer.  It was sooo perfectly chocolatey.  Not too rich, not too light, not too thick either.  Sorry I don’t have a picture to show you!  There’s only a sliver left in the freezer now.

After everyone gorged themselves with food, we went to the masjid for tarawih, prayed our 8 rakaah and came back to exchange presents!  More Eid presents!! Yaaaaaay.  I was a little skeptical about the gift I got for Fahma, but she seemed to like it.  I gave her two CDs: 1) Zaid Shakir talking about what an Obama presidency will mean for us and 2) Zaid Shakir and Cornel West on the impact of Malcolm and Martin… or as I liked to say it, 2 blacks guys talking about 2 black guys.

Malcolm and Martin
Dr King:  I have a dream, that Zaid and Cornel will do a collabo about us.
X:  O, exciting! Let’s make that happen, by any means necessary!

Anyway!  At night all the girls slept in my room and we kicked out Saqib.  I felt kind bad… but only kinda.  It was a slumber party, afterall, and he has no business in a girls slumber party.  Am I right, or am I right?

Sunday morning the sky outside was so… everybody’s leaving today.  It kinda sucked.   My parents took off at 2:00, followed by ZZ.  I prayed zuhr and took Hunno back home, but not without first stopping at Target.  We both had to pick up one thing from the store, which meant that we passed through all sorts of departments first just to look.  I like shopping with Hunno, it’s fun.  Can’t explain it.  Just is.

Anyway, dropped her off, drove back home, and then spent the rest of the day just chilling, because I don’t have work this week.  That means: no papers to grade, no quizzes to make, no homework to check, nothing nothing nothing!  Just a lot of cooking and a lot more fun, insha’Allah.

*sigh* Man, that felt good to write.