Happy 4th Birthday!

So we have clocked in 4 lovely years of parenthood last Monday! Girls had fun and clearly they have come a long way since their 1st birthday ;) We had 3 families over and totally 5 kids I had organized an evening at gym for them. And just a lazy day at the Kimball’s farm barely 3 miles away from home, pony ride, petting animals (Iguana, Ferret, a corn snake, a Boa constrictor, Alligator, Chinchilla). Kids loved it. They did bumper boat rides, lunch and the best part about Kimball’s farm – Ice cream. I believe I have tasted the Orange Pineapple flavor one for the first time and it was outstanding! A school friend was visiting the area from New Jersey and she stopped by as well to catch up briefly. Over all Kids had a lot of fun! AG got her orange cake with Belle princess and AL got her yellow cake with Sleeping Beauty! Kept it simple and fun! It was very relaxing for us parents too.

Been so long.....

I guess it’s just been so long that I don’t even know where to begin. Just a hiatus for no reason :-)

While we are all eagerly waiting for Summer to set it and the not so great Spring to pass it has still been blissful in other aspects besides our overactive social life which has now become more balanced. My parents are here and its almost close to 3 months now, kids are getting spoilt and so am I. Since from day 1 girls have been around them I guess they have a special bond. I have always considered it a blessing especially having 2 kids from Day 1! :-) While my friends spoke of managing independently with a single child I see the tide has changed once the second one enters, grandparents and any additional help and break you get is valued :-) Yep all I can do is grin and wink.

Kids turned the big 4 per the Hindu calendar yesterday. Did a small Puja at home and then we were thinking wow! it’s been 4 years of parenthood and how wonderful and blessed I have felt every moment. No amount of pictures or praises in albums or Facebook will ever explain the joy of being a mother to such beautiful daughters.

Finally I had the much anticipated make over haircut. Yep! I went CHOP CHOP CHOP and have got tons of compliments even from people who I never really spoke to at work in other areas. Job well done and I maybe my search has ended for the official favorite hairdresser versus the nomadic visits to different salons I have had in the past.

Last but not the least enjoying our days in the brand new house which is already a year and a half old now almost. We have been lucky to be able to build a customized house in the US. Literally from the flat land. Not having to adjust to a pre built model and deal with all that additional upgrades etc

Now waiting for some warm sunshine tick tock! Tick tock! :)

New Year...

It’s been a while since I have posted something. Deliberately did not post a summary of my disappointments or achievements of 2013; just hoping for a better year, each year like we always do. Lots of things to be grateful for, a few things that brought grief and sadness and a few others best forgotten…

As usual our social life has been nice and good-busy since summer and it’s not slowed down even in winter. Lots of occasions to meet friends, to host and have people over, enjoy some meals and time together and then the career part along with kids makes our days full and complete.

Winter has been amazingly cold this time too and lot of variations in temperature. Not as much snow like some other parts have received. But just very cold temperatures one week and rather warm the other. No complaints though it is what it is – Winter!

Winter beauty

So snow has finally arrived since winter has set upon us. It’s cold yet beautiful everywhere.  Nature and its seasons really amazes me. In New England we are blessed with 4 clear seasons and each season is so beautiful. I really cannot complain about it anymore. It sure has its shortcomings like any other season but this too shall pass like it does every year. This peace and quiet around is amazing!

Girls are very happy with winter and its snow. Despite getting their first cough and cold bout they maintain cheerful faces and run around. We have to really learn from such cherubic angels to live in the present and not complain. They are the fuel to our engines, truly such a pleasure to watch them grow and care for them.  We put up or first Christmas tree and Alex (after Alexander the Great!) our little elf arrived home this year. Life’s simple pleasures I must say.

As this turns out to be a busy December at work and is keeping me on my toes, my cooking adventure has also been going very well. I reached another personal milestone. A target I put for myself to cook and learn that I hadn’t tried before. Something very satisfying about cooking I love and enjoy. I put a lot of thought into methods and ingredients and it’s close to heart.

Girls are growing up as usual and talking a lot. Its simply amazing to see the kind of things they say and do now. One moment they teach me how to cook and another time they need to be held and embraced. Truly, girls are girls. They are Daddy’s girls and Mommy’s girls! Only those who have them know how blessed they are!

Thanksgiving and its been 2 years...

Thanksgiving at DE and PA was so much fun, Friends, pujas, dance parties sums up our 5 day trip.

As a friend purchased new home we were able to attend and as one big family and spend some good time. Even squeezed in a birthday party and attended my first even Sai Baba vratham Puja which I never did before in anyone’s house.  And then hanging out was a lot of fun. Kids did great; they had a lot of fun playing with friends.  Now we are busy planning NYE.

It was MIL’s 2^nd anniversary which we performed here. Went as planned and scheduled.

I should get back to more blogging amid all the fun….

Hiatus

Been away from this space for a while now, why? Well, for no apparent reason. Days and weekends have been nice and full! From lake house trips in Fall to NH with kids and the gang to sleepovers to birthday parties (almost every weekend!) to kids very first performance on stage at a social event and the umpteen practice sessions that I conducted for a dozen crazy 3-4 year olds in the basement for the event, to our first Diwali in our new home! It’s been awesome! And then my regular drives to and fro work and home are getting more and more scenic by the day, getting to appreciate the nature – fall at its peak and then the quiet winter setting in, amid some beautiful sunsets I have never seen before – it’s like the sky is strewn with these pink, orange and grey streaks! I look into the sky and there is this weird sadness that sinks in and then it reminds me of this amazing lady who has left me and my family with some amazing memories, my grandmother….and its back to our crazy routine with the kids who are growing up too fast and always bringing excitement and joys and reminding me of simple pleasures and be thankkful and grateful for what I have!

LOST!

That is what I have been feeling since over a week – just lost; when you lose a family member who is the backbone of the family for years and has an aura around her. A lady I was so proud of and derived my strength and heritage from, and someone who possessed so much radiance and warmth that it was beyond comparison. How am I to overcome such loss? Helpless is what I feel as my Ajji was found with a stroke and she was laid to rest few days back. A lot of emotions and memories, lots to talk about, I am unable to even pen down this loss right now. Absolutely not come to terms with it and at this point not even sure if I ever will. All I want ..............is this little lady with salt/pepper hair lying down with me on the sheet spread over the cool floor, on a hot summer afternoon, smelling of amrutanjan, fighting her sleep, narrating Ramayana and I would stop her at the part when payasam was being served to King Dashratha before the sons were born and I would get distracted and ask her to make some for me and that she would, a small portion just enough for me which I would lap like a puppy and then lie down again for her to continue the story until I napped.