Raising Little Lions

Events After the Wedding Ceremony

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 14:33:00 +0000

After the wedding ceremony, there is alot of hulla bulla amongst the family and friends - lunch to be eaten, socializing to be enjoyed, games to be played. shoes to be stolen :)

There is a traditional Punjabi game where the girls on the bride's side steals the groom's wedding shoes and in order for the groom to have them returned to him, he must pay a price to all the bride's sisters - whatever they request. It is usually ALOT of fun when u are on the girl's side but being on the boy's side, ur main task is to hide his shoes. It gets kind of silly because during the ceremony, instead of watching solemnly and praying for a beautiful future life for the lovely couple, I find myself looking for exit routes and perfect hiding spots under cushions and ladies' outfits. :) Just kidding. The girl's side didn't really fight for my brother's shoes so this made an easy win at this wedding.

While all teh wedding guests return to their rooms to relax, the couple has their alone time together for pictures and enjoying their newly wed status. After a few hours of rest and picture taking, everyone gets to get ready all over again for the Reception!

The bride with her brother and I

The bride upon entering the groom's home. Here a game is being played where the groom's sister (me) has to attempt to drink water from a golden cup for 7 times while my brother has to try to prevent me from doing so. The significance? Beats me.

A FUN game where the bride and groom have to fight each other to win golden rings hidden inside a bowl full of milk and roses

My brother and his new wife in the wedding car!

The quaint wedding richshaw

Tradition where the bride's first steps into the house are recorded by having her step in red paint and then over a white scroll of paper adorned with rose petals

My brother and his friends along with his new wife.

The weddign car decorated

My dad and I with the newly married couple

Bringing Devina into the boy's home for the first time

One of my favorite pics :)

Helping Devina step on rose petals laid out for her to enter our home

My hubs and I :)

My cousin's wife Chandni and I watching our kids play together after the wedding ceremony

Devina feeding my brother traditional Indian sweets

The ring game

The real wedding car - not the richshaw

Devina and Moni

My new sis in law and I :)

My little nugget Jeevan at 8 months old

Me chaperoning the ring game - making sure there are no cheaters! The cheaters ended up being the women in my family who told Devina that catching quarters in the milk was just as good as rings and while they told my brother quarters wouldn't cut it and he would have to find a gold ring to win. Devina won with the help of the lovely ladies of our family :) Girl power!

Another cute game where the bride shakes her decorations from her hands over the heads of unmarried females of the house. If a gold piece falls off by itself onto the head, then it is good luck and signifies that the female will be the next in getting married - similar to the boquet toss!

Me receiving Devina into our home

My brother dancing on the path Devina had to walk into our home. SO SWEET how happy and proud he is. It's written all over his face.

My little Kavanjot with his cousin Noor :)

Devina and Moni

Anand Karaj - Sikh Wedding Ceremony

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 03:06:00 +0000

The actual wedding ceremony of my brother and his wife was beautiful. It was held outside in Goa near the Banyan tree under which he proposed. It was lovely. The immediate family sat near the bride and groom while the other guests sat behind on beautiful little sofas lined with comfy cushions.

The meaning of Ananad Karaj is Blissful union. The couple does 4 lavaans or rounds around our holy scripture called the Sri Guru Granth Sahib. In the Sikh faith, although the bride walks behind the groom holding his scarf, marriage is considered a partnership amongst equals. No consideration is to be given for caste, race or social status nor is dowry permitted. The families from both sides are very involved during the ceremony. The ceremony must end before noon and afterwards is langar or a lunch for all the guests.

There are fun little games played amongst the boy's and girl's side after the ceremony where the girl's sidehas to steal the groom's shoes and in order to get them back, he has to offer a price to pay them which they usually do not accept and keep asking for more. It's meant to be alot of fun but I have been at weddings where the girl's sister has stolen the shoes and asked for the bride's wedding ring and GOT IT. I know, nuts. Talk about taking tradition seriously.

My brother coming up to our Scriptures covered in white and blue

Moni (my brother) coming up to matha tek (pay respects to our scripture)

The canopy for the wedding ceremony

Guests surrounding where the couple is to sit

What we saw coming up to the wedding site.

Up where immediate family and the couple sat

The bride's side.

The bride, Devina, coming in.

She looked stunning

Wedding guests looking upon the ceremony

My brother with me dabbing my CHIN (ugh) behind him.

bride's entrance

bride and groom attached with a pink scarf which she held onto following him during the rounds

The bride's mother. Just a lovely lady.

The bride and groom making their rounds

Where the guru granth sahib (our scriptures) sat

Me telling Moni and D what they need to do.

Scarf being adjusted

Looking onto the ceremony

The couple making their rounds with her brothers surrounding the area (symbolizing that they will always be there for her throughout her married life). Very sweet.

Getting garlands put on them by our priest

The couple standing together before making a round

Rounds

Garlanding

And they're married after the 4th round!! (my brother wasn't really allowed to touch her but I guess he couldn't resist!) :)

Events Leading up to Wedding Ceremony

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 02:33:00 +0000

Well after all the before partying, the time has almost arrived for my brother and his wife Devina's lavaan phere which is the Sikh wedding ceremony, also known as anand karaj.

I was a flutter all morning thinking of my brother and how he must be feeling and just imagining him in his moment and promising mama that I would be right by his side through it all for her. Since losing our mother, I can speak from personal experience that the most meaningful and significant moments in life without her just don't feel right. While I always *feel* her presence, having her there physically would have meant SO much at things such as my wedding, the birth of my first son, the birth of my second, their birthday parties etc. I knew it was time for my brother to feel this and the pain is quite indescribable and while I couldn't take that away for him, I just needed to be there for him. I tried to garner a sense of peace and calm so I wouldn't be a puddle of tears when he turned to the rock he needed to lean on. This was to be HIS moment and in that time, u need a strong soul to guide u through, to reassure u and to constantly comfort u with their smile, no words necessary but that knowing smile and loving touch that everything is going to be ok. I am here with u. and I love u more than anything I know how to love. Right before the wedding, my brother was very emotional as was expected and I got a few moments with him alone to let him know I was there for him - physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually. Our bond is like none other and I was just so honored to see him through his day with this beautiful woman. I smiled and waited til he heard what i was saying. I said "it's OK. U look amazing. Mom is SO proud of u as am I. She is here and we both know it. Now, come on, let's go get Devina. She is waiting for u." :)

There are a few rituals before the ceremony, one of which is called the sera bandi where the sister along with the female cousins prepare the groom for arriving at the ceremony by adorning his turban and walking him into the hall. This is usually accompanied with a prayer that I recited along with the elder females of the family.

The sisters also feed the horse some grains and corn before getting the groom ready. This was kind've nuts because I started offering the horse my HAND full of food when the horsekeepers were like girl what are u DOING? and told me to just offer him the bowl with the food inside it which he should eat from. Yea, could've had a fatality right there. Jeez. I need specific directions people!

Another tradition is for the youngest male on the male's side to sit atop the horse the groom rides on. This youngest male is usually a child, if not a baby and is called the sarballa. The sarballa for this wedding was my little lion Kavan! We had been practicing riding a horse and elephant for months so he wouldn't get nervous but I was prepared for his hesitation and anticipated stage fright so our backup sarballa was my second little lion Jeevan. When we saw the horse, I brought Kavan out there to pet it and feed it which I think helped. They both had a turn riding the horse. Unfortunately while we had plans for an elephant, those plans fell through.

Next, one of the BEST traditions we have is for the whole entire groom's side, called the baraat to DANCE all the way up to the bride's side along to a - u guessed it - DHOL (Drum) BEAT. We arranged live drummers to walk along our side the whole way. This is usually a few blocks but we must have danced a mile in the hot goa sun on the beach to get to the bride. Oh my lord I wasn't expecting that workout - we were all sharing water and sweating by the time we got up there but as soon as we got off the beach and passed through the foliage of the Goa woods and saw the bride's party up high on a raised platform where the ceremony was to be held, we went NUTS screaming, dancing, hollering and just bringing my amazing brother in on his horse. I led the baraat with my father. I wore a green lengha (skirt and top with scarf) that my brother picked out to match his outfit. It was a little jazzy for me for a religious ceremony but I must admit, lots of fun to wear and dance in :)

Last, a part of the wedding event is called the Milni which means MEETING where the males in the bride's family formally greet and meet the males in the groom's family. They hold garlands, put them over their counterpart's head and then there is usually a fun part where the guys tussle to see who can pick up the other one first. While the significance of the milni is very sweet, everyone is usually waiting to see who gets picked up :) I told Bobby if he doesn't pick up the guy he is paired up with - not to come home. haha. My sis in law said the same thing to Bobby's brother when we got married. It's kind;ve competitive I'd say.

Enjoy :)

My cousins and I before the ceremony at the groom's side house

The home where the breakfast before the ceremony was held

My brother on the horse and us all watching

Ardas prayer in the morning with the groom's side

Me doing the serabandi which was attaching the piece covering Moni's face

Me with Kavan and my brother - the groom!

My little lion and his daddy

Making sure these strings weren't clouding Moni's vision

Bobby and I :)

The guys hanging out

A friend made me pose for this

My Kavu and I having some tea

I am beaming with pride standing with my brother

My cousin Natasha and I

My cousin Raja and I with Kavan

More serabandi

Boys side guys :)

In the car with My brother

Love this shot of him. Getting ready for a prayer

Baraat dancing

Me pinning on strings to his turban

My cousin Natasha and I pinning on the strings to Moni's turban

Guys

Kavan and his daddy

leading moni out

Little lion #2 with his mamu (maternal uncle (my brother)))

baraat dancing

Kavan and I with one of my favorite aunties

Moni looks amazing on that horse

Monu and I :)

Daddy and I

He looks like a Maharaja here (Prince)

Mama's duties still call - Me feeding Jeevu :)

What a sport!

The baraat (groom's side) walking/dancing on the beach

It was nice of the bride's side to decorate our path and provide us a matting to walk on!

Amazing

Dancing on the beach!

Dhol walas (Drummers) with us the entire time. The drumbeats rang throughout the village

Daddy and I leading the baraat

Man it was hot

The drumbeat was INFECTIOUS

By my brother's side

Guys doing their thing

Little lion #1 - SO proud of him for getting up there!

WOO HOO!

Boys' Side Dhol Night

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 22:01:00 +0000

Dhol is the term Punjabis use for DRUM and in Punjabi weddings, the DRUM, or dhol is a central part of the majority of our music, traditions and festivities. There is absolutely nothing that gets me more excited and gets my blood pumping more than hearing our classic dhol beat going. The boy's side decided to hold an impromptu DHOL night at the boy's side house in Goa at the night of the mehendi which was the night before the wedding. During our little party for just the boy's side, the girl's side was doing the traditional churra (bangle) ceremony for the bride which is an intimate ceremony amongst her important family members. Our dhol night was one of the highlights of the wedding events. It was particularly special to me because it was our family that was there in Goa to celebrate my brother and it was downright pure classic punjabi fun. My cousins, aunts and elders all collected and sat on teh floor and sang every Punjabi wedding song with such ghutspa and literally until our voices were gone. We hired a Dhol wala or a guy who comes with a huge dhol and he came and did the traditional boliyaan which are little fun verses that he shouts out to sing and we all know and sing back to him and the crowd and to each other and then he just blasts that dhol beat, LIVE, and we all just went ballistic dancing. At this point, everyone is so completely exhausted from all the events but attending this and staying up all night for it wasn't even a question. It was an honor and a priority and one of my favorite nights of the trip. I will never forget the memories made, the bonds strengthened and my brother's face when he and his friends came through the door and we highlighted their arrival. OH what a night!

Some pics:

Mehendi Party

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 16:28:00 +0000

The Mehendi party was maybe one of the best events of the wedding extravaganza. My sister in law's rules for attire was - "the brighter the better" and I am so glad everyone followed her instructions because it was a color explosion on a perfect day in beautiful Goa. The decor fit the theme perfectly and was absolutely out of this world.

She looked stunning in a pinky peachy sari and seemed to be having a great time watching on as she sat on a couch adorned by bright pillows getting her Mehendi applied. Henna is another term for mehendi. It is a natural herbal green mix that is placed on the skin and left on to dry for a few hours. After washing it off, there is a temporary red to orange colored staining that has a tattoo effect wherever it was placed. It has been a tradition in Indian weddings for centuries. Traditionally at a mehendi party, the bride gets her mehendi put on her hands and feet. Everyone watches as the designs are typically very ornate and we all stand around and dote on her. Then we all get our turn to get a little bit put on as well. At this party, everyone joined in on the mehendi fun - guys and girls alike! Everyone was just roaming about barefoot, dancing, mingling, drinking, kissing, hugging and henna'ing :)

Devina described this afternoon perfectly - the mehendi party that turned into a RAVE :) We were there for HOURS until the boys' side literally got kicked out of the house for the bride's next bridal ceremony for her bangles to be placed on that night.

In addition to all the merriment, each side from the wedding prepared a dance to entertain the guests. I choreographed the boys' side dance along with my cousin coming in to help me when I started panicking that this wasn't going to come together and then the girls' side had a dance and skit of 20 minutes long choreographed by a professional dancer. We were clearly the underdog but for what we had to work with int he time we had to do it, we held our own and honestly just had a complete BLAST getting together to celebrate the bride and groom. The dance took a loose form of a skit that represented the last 5-10 years of my brother's life from when he worked in NY, dated in NY, to when he moved to India, met Devina, courted Devina to when they get married and then we projected into the future a bit to what their future married life would look like with blessings abound :) Everyone who was up for joining was a part of the dance which ended up including about 20 people or so on each side. My brother's friends did a great job making fun of him through mimicking how he parties and orders food for everyone when we are out down to his little nurances like his catch phrases and facial expressions. It was such a fun ROAST on him and SO much fun. We had a great time watching the girls' side dance and dancing for my brother and putting together our routine with our friends. We laughed so hard til it hurt. Someone afterwards made a comment that Moni's sister didn't just dance up there, but that i danced for my brother and it couldn't be closer to the truth. My face hurt from smiling and I had tears in my eyes just watching him next to his love and just going all out for them. I love them so very much and wish them the best this life has to offer. Ok getting weepy!! At the end of it all, the boy's side and our whole fam and everyone from the girl's side just got up thee and boogied down - for. hours. :)

Here are some snaps!

Cocktail Party in Goa

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 01:44:00 +0000

The first event in Goa was a cocktail party to welcome all the guests. The attire was non traditional and everyone was wearing Western cocktail dresses and gowns. I had an awesome Calvin Klein dress lined up but last minute splurged in Delhi and bought a designer flowy Goa-ey dress with my cousin's wife, Chandni. She convinced me I had to have it and as much as I felt like an Indian barbie in it, the wallet is kind've regretting the splurge now - eek. ANYWAY, the party was light and fun and a great way for all the guests to meet, esp those who came straight to Goa and didn't go to any of the Delhi events. It was held outdoor and the weather was downright balmy and breezy, pure perfection. There were funky performers surrounding the home and the decor was so different and fresh. Here are a few snaps from the night:

My cousin Natasha and I all dolled up before heading out

Pics of the family at a pre party cocktail hour before the event

More family I love.

Fun decor hanging from the trees

Belly Dancer

Crazy fun performer

Closeup of the balance act

Shot of the decor from the balcony above

Closeup of hanging lanterns

Devina with her friend from London and Nats

My brother (hanky in his pocket) and our cousin Raja

My lovely dovely cousins and I

My brother with our two cousins Radhika and Nandita who we adore and always have since we were so very little

My brother and I with a friend of his from Delhi. This girl was awesome - I wish I had a way to keep in touch.

My brother and I. Just love him.

Welcome to Goa :)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 03:36:00 +0000

Coming to Goa was such a treat. It was a true getaway in every sense of the word. Goa is in southern India and it is so far away from the bustling city of New Delhi and everything we associate with being in India - shopping, hectic schedules, exhaustion, visiting family and friends and just being busy. We got to relax a few afternoons and mornings in between events. Every day had something planned so there was still stuff to do but it was in a tropical destination which made it still feel like vacation! We took in some sun, some ocean and some scenery.

The only hectic part for me amid this all was choreographing and bringing together a dance the groom's side was to perform for the mehendi party a day or so later. It was quite a challenge since no one had cell phone or internet service properly working nor were people responding (serious post celebration funks set in) and I was staying with my family off in a villa away from everyone as opposed to the hotel all the kids were in. I might have panicked a few times but was determined to PULL THIS OFF - I was the groom's sister dammit! There was no way I was going to drop the ball on this one. In hindsight, I may have been a bit unecessarily harsh with the guys :) but it was worth it because our dance was awesome and the fun was amazing and they all pitched in when they saw how freaked I was getting that things weren't getting done. I'm below in the yellow - not smiling. Very serious business here. In the end, it was a BLAST!

More on that later in the Mehendi Party post but for now, enjoy some scenes of Goa.

And here are pics of our dance practice - yes ONE of maybe 2 practices we had for a 10 minute dance in front of 300 people. God was on our side that day! :)

The Sangeet

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 21:58:00 +0000

The Sangeet was unlike any function I've ever been to. I'm pretty sure all of New Delhi was invited :) It was luxurious and gorgeous and just such a GRAND party. Devina and my brother looked like a princeess and prince - full out. She was dressed in a beautiful white lengha and looked downright stunning. My brother was wearing a matching white achkin and just fit her perfectly. They looked regal to say the least.

Sangeet means Music and it is the night days before the wedding meant for merriment, music, dancing and complete celebrating of the couple and the wedding to come. Just letting loose! Traditional sangeets generally are held at the home amongst the ladies singing and ladies but these days it is a Great excuse to have a big old bash at a hall. I've got a glimpse of the professional pics and they really did the events, esp the sangeet, justice. Here are a few that friends and family have shared. Enjoy! :)

Devina and I doing the kikli, a traditional punjabi dance where u hold hands and spin each other around :)

Me and my cousins

My cousin Natasha and i

Bobby and I with dad, cousins and my brother

Me with our friend Lindsay

The decor from the sangeet - jaw dropping in person

My adorable brother making sure he is having a GOOD time.

Devina doing her dancing THING

Me with my cousins Natasha and Sukhmani and a friend Tijana

my gorgeous sis in law devina

My cousins Mannu and Chandni

D :)

My brothers GOOD friends - I call them my gems

Devina dancing with me in the background

My brother with his boys

Me with my lovely cousins Sukhmani and Natasha

Little cousin Nats and my dad

The elderly women in my family and Raja uncle

My little cousins

Tijana with my dad's youngest brother

Chunni (Scarf) & Ring Ceremony

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 21:27:00 +0000

Before the official weddings events began, there was a big birthday party of the bride's brother that we attended that was AMAZING but sigh I don't have pics so until I can find some from someone who actually had a camera on them, that night will go down in history as one of the most amazing parties I have ever been to. There were Circus du Soleil style dancers and artists performing all over the place from the ceilings to right next to u to on stage - it was unreal. Kudos to the planners and Happy Birthday Shiv! Then there were a bunch of little get togethers and small parties that were just as amazing but......lordie, no pics. I'm mentioning them now because I am on a mission to find some pics and when I do - this is what I would have been referring to basically!

The Chunni ceremony is a pre wedding event that takes place the beginning of the week of the festivities in a Punjabi wedding. At the Chunni ceremony, the boys mother is to place a wedding scarf/shawl on the bride to be and give her some jewelery sets. There is a ring ceremony called a Roka which we just did at the same time.

Since we lost our mother, not only was this event very emotional and sober but it was very touching for me because I took the place of our mother for my brother and I was the person to sit by Devina (the bride) and place the chunni on her head, recite the formal prayer, feed her sweets, present her with jewlery and gifts and a sari and basically be the woman to welcome and embrace her into our lives just as my mother would have. Waterworks over here. I missed mama so so very much in this moment and I fought the hot tears in my eyes back but I just looked over at my brother and at how happy he is and then to Devina at how lovely she is and u just can't help but smile so big because they are just meant to be and we are so blessed to be in each other's lives.

So this is when I place a chunni or bridal shawl/scarf ON the bride to be basically claiming her as ours to put it roughly along with presenting her with a sari as a token of our acceptance of her into our family and the groom to be (my brother) puts a ring on her finger. This event was combined with the ring ceremony also referred to as the ROKA where the families basically formalize the relationship between each other and the boy and girl. I (along with the elder females in my family) started the event off with a prayer (ardas) to bless the couple and the families and Gifts (Shagun) are exchanged between the families from one another. Then lots of sweets, fruits and food are FED to the bride and groom from everyone there who loves them. This BRIDE was such a trooper if I ever saw one. She basically ever so gracefully took a bite from every single person in that room - oh my word - that poor girl took the bites and had a smile on her face the whole time. Some people joked and gave really big bites which she took with a smile and some of us just gave her a taste so she wouldn't have to endure any more. I felt so bad for her not only for being a female and thinking omg I have to fit into outfits that aren't so forgiving in just a matter of hours and also for feeling bad for her if she didn't even like that particular dessert or desserts. Funny stuff. :)

Enjoy some of the pics :) U can kind of get the feel of how it goes.

Kavan and I :) I am SO happy to begin the festivities!

Devina and I while holding my baby Jeevan on my lap

My handsome brother (the groom to be)

The beautiful bride to be

Beginning the ceremony with an ardas (Sikh prayer)

The family looks on and gives gifts and feeds Devina

More gift giving lucky girl :)

Devina's mom gives my brother gifts and blessings

My brother with my eldest Kavan

Some flowers, sweets, gifts etc.

My brother and his best friend

Me sitting with Devina waiting for a prompt for what's next. Eek.

Devina with her chunni on (bridal scarf) and my Bhua (aunt)

My dad presenting Devina with food and gifts

The rings being exchanged!!!

My cousins Chandni, Mannu and Natasha

My chacha (dad's youngest brother) holding my littlest lion Jeevan.

My cousin Natasha and I

Pic of Devina with her Chunni on

My boys - brother, hubs and Kavan

Devina and I

Funny little lion Kavan playing around :)

Devina with her gifts and Chunni and me

En Route to New Delhi

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 13:40:00 +0000

My disclaimer for my posts about India is this:

I did not take any pictures.

I am so shocked and embarrassed at this fact. How could I Not take pictures on this trip? I know. I know. But in hindsight I do realize that with HOW busy it was and all the running around and managing both kids and myself and shopping and being ready for whatever I needed to do at each event, there was just no feasible way I could have and if i DID, I would have for sure lost my camera or my phone (which I use as my camera). Thank GOODNESS other people in my family took pictures which we all pretty much share as our memories from the trip. Honestly tho - pictures just don't do this trip justice. It is simply imprinted in my memory forever.

That being said!! I took like 2-3 pictures of us on the way to the airport and before our trip began.

Here are the boys days before we left for our trip in a new double stroller we bought for the trip. They are cozy and cuddly and smushed in there with their winter gear. They're all bundled now but we were looking forward to frolicking on a beach in Goa soon!

Here are the boys as we landed in India at the airport, still bundled, off of a crazy 15 hour flight and just happy to have landed safely.

Usually when u land in the New Delhi Airport, it is a shock to the system that u are IN INDIA and it really feels like u are on the streets of India with an old outdated airport and people staring at u from all directions. However, when we landed this time, I was floored. I had NO idea the rennovations that took place but it was a proper international airport as if in any other country in Europe or the USA. It was beautiful and clean and organized. So much has been revamped for the better and it felt wonderful to land there and go through immigration seamlessly. What a difference it makes to begin a trip! I see the difference now. It makes u look forward to being there that much more. Really nice to see.
Here is a picture of Art you see as u walk to immigration in the airport. It is so beautiful and so striking, I was completely taken aback. I was so impressed by how put together everything was. I was reading up on it a bit and learned that the sculpture is of Indian hand gestures called mudras used in classical Indian dance. When constructing the new airport, they wanted something to represent their theme of "Expressive India" but avoid any sort of religious ideology. These mudras are represented in Buddhist art as well as in Southeast Asian art as well as used in much of yoga, which is a very worldly, secular activity and not just Indian per se. They were based off a female hand as well. There are 9 gestures in total and learning about them all is so enlightening.

I'm Baaaack!!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 21:23:00 +0000

but not so sure I'm back in full effect yet. I know - my blog fell off the face of ur google reader, hasn't it. Almost. I am determined to maintain it because my heart is there - I'm just swamped with babies and no help. That is hopefully changing SOON. Then I can focus on mama for a bit as well because this chica is in need for a major rejuvenation - part of the whole new year's resolution pact I made with myself.

Last we spoke :), I was going nuts preparing for our trip to India for my brother's wedding. With 2 babies and no help (yes I know I already said that), getting things accomplished happens in S-L-O-W M-OT-I-O-N so even just buying things for the trip, packing and getting important documents together Barely got done.

The trip was amazing, the wedding was unreal, out of this world, like a complete DREAM - I had to constantly ask my cousin to pinch me ..... and then she actually did, like really hard and I insisted she pls stop. Crazy girl.

I'd love to share some pics of all the events so pls plan on hearing about this for the next month or so not only because (a) would I like to relive it but (2) pictures or blog entries about it just won't and can't do it justice and (iii) I want to record for my brother the details I remember so we can read about it in years to come. He was so busy as was the bride's family putting everything together and making sure guests were taken care of. While it's no small feat for us to travel to India to .... party.... poor poor souls we are :) - it's even a bigger task to make sure everyone is provided for, accounted for, included and acknowledged and my brother and new sissy in law did a fabulous job.

Pics to come!

In the meantime here is a picture of the map of India so u have some context. My family is originally from PUNJAB (baby!!!) Ahem, Sorry. But the bride and groom are currently living in New Delhi, India and that's where we flew into and stayed with family for about a week and did the preliminary ceremonies and festivities to kick of the wedding. The actual wedding ceremony and reception was in Goa which is down towards central to south india to the west. I hate to be a nerd and give u a picture of a map but it's important and I promise I will make it up to u with fabulous wedding pics soon. Take a look see.

Happy Birthday Little MAN

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 14:00:00 +0000

My little man just turned 2 and I still can't believe it. The time has just flown and I just want to hold onto every memory so snug and tight so I never forget just how precious this little soul is. He has grown So much and has come SO far that it blows me away with every step he takes and word he utters.

Kavan, in these last 2 years and even when I carried you for 9 months, you have taught me so much about life and how to live it. You have taught me to love unconditionally, to slow down and appreciate the finer moments, to smile constantly - even in our hardest times. You never stop amazing me with your affection, energy, curiosity, laughter and love. You surprise me everyday with your new discoveries and every daily achievements. You have allowed me to witness and be a part of your learning in motion. For being such a little lion, you have Such a big spirit. I love u dear Kavan, mama loves u ferociously.

I used to sing Carly Simon's Love of my life song to you everyday since you were born and it is so true ........"From the moment that I saw u, the second that u were born - I swore that u were the love of my life...quite simply the love... of my life."....

Here is a trip down memory lane for my sweet little lion Kavan.

HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY KAVANJOT!

Meri jaan hai tu (U are my life)

Life is nuts.....

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 20 Nov 2010 11:20:00 +0000

..... for us right now. I know I am out of the loop. I have been insanely busy - giving my grandma TLC, wedding stuff with my brother, getting the house ready for Thanksgiving here and planning my little bean's 2nd birthday the same weekend. It is just nuts. Just wanted to check in and see how everyone else is doing. I'm starting to realize, it's always this nuts and always will be - is it nuts for everyone else too? I need to start scheduling "nothing" for the weekends. Til then - I will be plugging away.

Here are my little lions the last few days. Uff. As i sit here in the calm of the 5 o'clok hour waiting to watch the sunrise, I just look at their pictures and think - thank u God. Thank you for my crazy, wild, sweet, silly, beautiful children. Be still my heart. Boys, mama loves u more than u could ever imagine.

Impromptu Chocolate Chip Muffins

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 20:29:00 +0000

Have u ever been in a crazy rush but need to get something made and just use the first recipe that comes up on google? That's what happened to me yesterday when the first batch of blueberry muffins my husband made turned out not so hot. I am sick with a cold and hosted a playdate at the house yesterday. Why? Well - sigh, because that's ME and my life. :/ The hubs wanted to help so before he went to sleep he made a box of blueberry muffins I asked if he could whip up - for those that don't know him - I must share that he LOVES TO BAKE. I was shocked they didn't come out well. It can't be him - it must've just been a cheap mix or something because they were terrible and he really is quite the baker.

As soon as I realized these weren't going to work, while still in my towel from getting out of the shower I said alright no worries and I googled chocolate chip muffins sine I knew I had choc chips on hand and muffins are just perfect for a morning playdate at the house. I used this recipe and frantically worked away. As I'm mixing and stirring, my eyes scan down the page and I'm reading the reviews of these muffins being awful and starting to realize this is how they're going to taste?! so I start adding and recreating a new recipe - bad news. Why is following a recipe so difficult for me?!

Well it turned out they were perfect and scrumptious and quite a hit. Here are some pics! Can't u just smell them through the screen!

Today is Diwali

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 19:08:00 +0000

Happy Diwali to all that celebrate it! Diwali is known as the festival of lights and is an official Holiday in India as well as celebrated by many South Asian religions all over the world. Diwali celebrations are chock full of family traditions, lighting candles and fireworks, getting together with loved ones and sharing snacks and sweets.

In Hindu Mythology - the story of Diwali signifies the victory of good over evil. I am not so versed in the Hindu stories of Diwali but there are beautifully written accounts of them here.

Those who celebrate Diwali light candles outside their home or put up christmas lights around the home. The significance is that this light should illuminate ur home and heart and empower us to commit ourselves to good deeds which will bring us closer to God. In India, during Diwali, lights are everywhere inside and outside as people light firecrackers and incense and celebrate this holiday. (Source)

It has become more than a Hindu - festival - it has become a cultural holiday much like Christmas for those who choose to celebrate it living in the United States.

In my religion, SIKHISM, we celebrate Diwali for . In Sikh Historydifferent reasons and call the Holiday Bandi Chor Divaas. In Sikh history - Diwali signifies the release of our 6th guru. In 1577, the foundation stone of the Golden Temple - our most holy temple - was laid on Diwali day. During the life of our 6th Guru, Guru Hargobind, the Muslim emperor Jahangir imprisoned Guru Hargobind and 52 kings along with him. People all over India begged the Emperor to release them and the Emperor agreed to release the Guru but the Guru said to also release the kings. The emperor agreed but with one condition - that only those kings who could hold onto the guru's cloak can be released so our GUru made a gown with 52 pieces of strings attached to it for the Hindu kings to hold. They were all freed on Diwali day. Lights were lit all over upon their release. The guru's mother was so happy her son was released that she ordered food and gave sweets to everyone. Many people float colored light candles on teh water at the Golden temple along with a big firework display.

A great version of the story is told here.

Pray for my Nanima

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 19:27:00 +0000

My Nanima is my beautiful grandmother. She is my mother's mother and she is sick. She is very sick. She had a massive stroke a few months ago in India and has since had a series of problems after the fact. Last week my uncle brought her over here to America on a plane, sedated. She is one strong lady to make that 24 hour flight. She was immediately put into the ICU at the hospital when she landed and has been there since. This past weekend was the first time in a few years that I got to see her. We are extremely close and it BROKE my heart to see her helpless in that condition. Her right side is paralyzed - she is not eating, not talking, not moving, not anything. She was otherwise SUCH a vibrant woman who LOVED just Loved to laugh and giggle and chat and share secrets and get dressed up and get manicures and wear revlon's toasted almond lipstick :) I brought my 2 babies to see their great grandmother in the hospital and thru that one eye she has working, I saw a emotion. I saw recognition. She laid her hand on their heads and gave them her blessings. She looked at me in pain. I don't know if she is physically in pain but she moans and groans and is understandably uncomfortable. I know she wants to live and I know she wants to fight. I have been a walking zombie since seeing her and can't think of much else these days but her. I love her dearly and need her. I don't have my mother anymore and my nanima is a piece of my mother that I have left. I need her - we all do. I know things are not good right now but I will continue to stay positive and hope for the best. She deserves it. Without her, none of us would be here. She is an amazing lady and she deserves us fighting for her, rooting for her, willing her to continue to want to live. I believe with time, prayers and therapy, she can show improvement - anything better than this.

Please pray for her - Please pray my nanima gets better soon.

What in the...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 18:24:00 +0000

Who knew squirrels ate pumpkins?! Who knew squirrels would devour the pumpkins we worked so hard at "picking" (selecting and placing on wagon). This was a MAJOR bummer to wake up to in the morning :( Overnight our beautiful pumpkins that we decorated the front steps with turned into these! EEK! I guess the little rodents feasted didn't they. They didn't seem to be fooled by the fake pumpkins in the lot. I haven't caught any of the pesky little rascals in the act but I'm pretty positive they are squirrels as I've heard of this happening before but it's never happened to us before. I guess it's a whole different life now we live in the "Country". :)

Two cute little stores that sprung from this:

My 22 month old toddler is speaking much more now and lately he has been saying OH NO BOKEN - meaning, Oh no, broken. When we walked out and saw these pumpkins I said Oh no! He examined them and said, "Oh no, boken!" :) I just had to laugh. At least he realized this isn't how we had the pumpkins to start with and
We had a playdate at the house a few days after this happened and one of the mammas commented on the intricate pumpkin carvings I did with the kids. haha As if this was deliberate?! How strange that would've been :)

In the News...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 18:11:00 +0000

My religion (Sikhism) and the President's scheduled trip to our most holy temple in India has recently been in the news. It is difficult for me to use words to even capture the significance of what the Golden Temple symbolizes for Sikhs. It is a site of great religious and historical importance for Sikhs. Thousands of Sikhs and Non-Sikhs alike from India and all over the world come and visit this temple daily. It is built in the middle of a pool of water and is covered in gold. It is absolutely beautiful. Whenever I go, I find such peace and serenity there - it is truly majestic.

The gist of this issue in the news is that President Obama's camp is not satisfied with the forms of head covering he must wear during his visit for how it will make him appear and what it will look like to the outside world and America. When one enters any Sikh place of worship (gurdwara) including the Golden Temple, their heads must be covered while in the presence of our holy scriptures called the Guru Granth Sahib. President Obama only has 4 days scheduled to be in India. Of those 4 days, he is scheduling a trip to visit the Golden temple, the only religious visit he is making. However, Obama's camp fears that he will look too Muslim if he covers his head with a headscraf or skullcap. They feel it is not a good political move in light of political sensitivities around the world and in the United States regarding rumors of him having Muslim beliefs despite the fact that he is openly a very devout Christian which he has stated time and time again. His head must be covered but a baseball cap falls short of regulations and appears insulting.

MY THOUGHTS: I am saddened that this is even an issue that would prevent our President from visiting a respected shrine of the world. I'm not sure why limited suggestions like a headscarf, skullcap or baseball hat are being considered as the only options to cover his head. Plenty of sojourners that come off the streets pretty much will tie a handkerchief on their head or a bandana and that is completely acceptable. I am also shocked that it is cited that about 20% of the American population "suspect" the President is Muslim by citing that his middle name is Hussein and mentioning his Kenyan heritage. He is a publicly devout Christian and shouldn't be bothered about his religion. It is absurd to me that American citizens waste time debating about whether the President is muslim or not. Even if he was, so WHAT. His religious affairs are his business, his private concerns that no one should be second guessing or speculating about. Moreover, even if he "appeared to be Muslim" (which I just loathe the connotation that gives off since it shouldn't even matter if he appears Muslim or not), ANY person regardless of religion, race or creed is welcome into the Sikh Golden Temple and would never be ostracized or shunned away in any manner. The place where the temple sits - Amritsar, Punjab - is VERY close to the border of India and Pakistan and it would not be odd to see any person of the Muslim faith entering the Golden Temple (at least I hope not). Last, I am disappointed that the President's camp didn't have the foresight to have known to address this issue BEFORE scheduling a trip to the Golden Temple. I can imagine how many Sikhs were so excited and now just disappointed. It would be an honor to have the American Present visit our holiest of temples as should HE feel honored and blessed to be in such a sacred place that is special to SO many Sikhs in India as well as the Diaspora. If his trip is cancelled, it would be a disappointment to say the least. The President would be missing out for an issue which has many solutions.

Here are some pictures of the Golden Temple:

during the day.

At night.

No Sew Halloween Costumes

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 19:24:00 +0000

I already bought the boys' halloween costumes last month (grumble grumble). BUT if I had seen any of these amazing ideas earlier, I would have totally had the boys dress up in something more creative, no sew and homemade. If ur a mom out there trying to get last minute costumes together, any of these are completely doable. Don't be shocked if u see my kids in some of these in the upcoming years :) Here are some of my favorites!

Book Review: Zoo Story

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 10 Oct 2010 00:11:00 +0000

I just finished a book called ZOO STORY by author Thomas French. I loved this book. I've always had a love for animals of all kinds and love seeing them in their natural settings and love seeing them even at zoos. Many a time when visiting zoos I felt bad for some of the larger animals in the unspoken word "cages". It didn't feel right or fair for them to be stuck there but you give it a moment's thought and move onto the next exhibit and the rest of ur day and don't really think about it again unless it's a passing thought.

The book basically takes you behind the scenes of a zoo called Lowry Park in Tampa, Florida. It dives into the difficult issue of the truths, difficulties, benefits and challenges of keeping wild animals in captivity. It was downright fascinating to say the least and I learned a great deal. One of the reviews of the book is true - I can never visit another zoo again without recounting the images and stories from this book and the plight of most of the animals there.

One of the best parts of this book was the way it was written. The author is a journalist and writes for newspapers and teaches journalism at a university now. The writing was excellent. The way he described the conditions of the zoos and what the animals could be thinking or how humans interfered with their lives really made u feel for each party involved and made u feel like u were right there. As a writer you tend to take a tone with which "side" u agree or disagree with and I feel his tone was most definitely clear that he disapproved of the way in which certain animals were kept in the zoo and the way in which it's CEO (for 20 years) ran the place. Even when he put a spin on the events, he still raised room for questioning each side and gave u plenty to think about. Should we support the institution of zoos which help to save certain animals and educate our society and young children about animals and have a first hand exposure to them even if this means they're being held against their will or should we leave these wild animals be in their natural habitat even if this means they are subject of mass killings by the country in which they live due to their overpopulation and running rampant in the wild and causing mass destruction wherever they go.

Accurately, the author says it's the animals that get caught in this struggle between protection and control. Surprisingly, I found myself on one side of the table before reading this book and throughout reading I was constantly questioning my thoughts and feelings on the subject. It is simply fascinating and I highly recommend it to anyone who has a love for animals.

My boys...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 09 Oct 2010 20:03:00 +0000

There's no specific subject for this post. I'm just taking a rare moment to sit here and look through pictures of the end of this summer and smile.... at my boys. I love them more than I could ever imagine loving anything in this life. If I had to imagine a few years ago where I would be and what I'd be doing now, I would never forsee this ... but I wouldn't paint a better picture. These little men that occupy my days make me smile and laugh so much. They provide me with so many new and different challenges I'm only experiencing now in a way only a mother could. I hope I remember all their little sweet and silly moments. I plan on telling them all about it when they grow up. For the meantime, as exhausted as I am - I am so thoroughly enjoying...my boys.

Child Labor in southwestern CT

Hi Bright Eyes!!

Mama love..

Kavan in a cozy chair

Kavan playing Goldilocks trying out different chairs :)

Boys - I am so blessed to have u in my life and so honored that I get to be ur mommy. Mwa.

Delicious Apple Clafouti Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 13:02:00 +0000

Tis the season for baking!! I like to kick off this cozy socks, warm boots and snuggly sweater weather with some hearty kitchen baking. That being said, I made this dessert in the dead of summer. Err. :/ haha But made it again after our recent stint of apple picking with the babies which consisted of hubs and I picking apples :) There are tons of great apple recipes out there for the fall season since it is the season of pumpkin and apple recipes. There are some great ones here. At this rate, I will *never* lose this baby weight - but it's worth it!

I found the original recipe from this amazing lady's site. She has scrumptious picks, delectable pictures and easy to follow recipes. I love her story and her blog. Definitely check it out. Her CLAFOUTI recipe originally calls for peaches. I loved the idea but adapted it for apples since I have them coming out of my ears these months - everywhere I turn, there are apples apples and more apples!

I love learning about everything and anything life has to offer and esp in the kitchen. Love to try new recipes, altho many of them failed :/ It's alright. Just have to mop it up and keep going. I learned that a clafouti is a French dessert baked in a buttered pan. A true clafouti consists of black pitted cherries which must be pitted because that's what gives it the lovely flavor for if it's not - then the dessert will be milder in flavor. Isn't that interesting? After a little digging, I've seen people make clafoutis with a variety of fruit - apples, peaches, blackberries, u name it. I found it to be super easy to make because for some reason, I can't make apple pies - it's beyond me and I've accepted it. I prefer the french rendition :)

This is the original recipe I worked off of for my Apple Clafouti. I didn't follow it to a tee - I clearly changed it around to make it simpler and to use what I had on hand (like not using creme fraiche (no idea where to even start with that) and like using plain ol' vanilla extract instead of slicing a vanilla bean - what the..?). It turned out amazing and was much easier than it seems. The hubbinator was praising me for days which lemme tell ya -- a girl can get used to :) The aroma that filled the house was like none other. For a day it felt as if we were living in a log cabin in the middle of the woods where apple pies were made around the clock. Does that even exist? I have no idea but u get my point! The taste is also much lighter than the feeling you get after eating a heavy pie. Definitely try it.

For the Batter you will need:

1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch salt
3 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
1 cup whole milk

For the Apples you will need:

1 vanilla bean sliced lengthwise
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Pinch salt
1 1/2 cups peeled and diced Granny Smith apple (about 1 large apple)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon grappa, Calvados, or other fruit brandy
Confectioners' sugar for dusting
1/3 cup creme fraiche

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Make the batter: Sift the flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt into a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, egg yolk, and milk until well blended. Add about 1/3 of the egg mixture to the flour mixture and whiskuntil smooth, then gradually incorporate the remaining egg mixture. Whisk until well blended. Cover withplastic wrap and refrigerate while you prepare the apples.

Cook the apples: With the tip of a knife, scrape the vanilla bean seeds from the pod into an ovenproof 10-inch cast iron or stainless steel skillet. Add the pod and the butter and cook over moderately high heat until the butter turns nut brown. Add a pinch of salt. Add the apples and cook, stirring often, until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Remove the vanilla bean pod and discard. Sprinkle the apples with the sugar, reduce the heat to moderately low, and cook until the apples are almost cooked through and the sugar has melted and is coating the apples in a light syrup. Add the grappa or other brandy off the fire while pouring, place back on the fire, wait for flame to die down, the swirl the pan briefly. Spread the fruit evenly in the skillet. Working quickly, pour batter evenly over the fruit. Bake until the edges of the clafouti are puffed and browned and the center is set, about 15 minutes. Put some confectioners' sugar in a sieve and generously dust the surface of the clafouti. Serve warm directly from the pan with a dollop of creme fraiche.

4 months old already?!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 12:08:00 +0000

When did this happen?? I'm late in posting this picture (surprise surprise) but i had to get it in there. Jeevan is actually over 4 months old at the moment. Sometimes I kick myself that these monthly picture signs are not cuter with the little onesies I've seen with a number for the months old the baby is or the coordinating signs for every month and matching clothes but u know what? this is REAL life and i'm in the trenches of in ur face, running around like a crazy person, trying to do it all and be a good mama and wife - REAL LIFE. So this is it and it's as real as u get - a sign written in any pen I could find and gone over with highlighter. .... And now that I look at it with a closer eye, I have to smile because...it's perfect. and so is HE. Dear Jeevu, I love u more than u could ever imagine little angel. mwa.

Teddy Love

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 13:04:00 +0000

We were at Costco the other day and Kavan came across these HUGE massive teddy bears. It was as if in slow motion I saw his eyes widen and bug out of his head. I *almost* bought these giants but then I quickly remembered the Huge stuffed animal gifts people previously got him and how they sort've just lay around in random places from room to room in the house without any real spot to belong and how they are highly annoying to me because he may pounce on them oh maybe... once in 6 months! SO i was quickly brought back to reality and heard a resounding "ohh helll no" in my head :) Before u start thinking I'm a horrible mother, I feel these kids get an immunity to certain toys as they get older such as teddy bears. Not buying those bears was really an effort on MY part to retain some teddy love for the little guys so when they see big teddies like this, it doesn't lose its charm on him. It was fun watching him play with them tho and it made grocery shopping semi entertaining for the little rascal. :)

A little treat....

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 13:44:00 +0000

With 2 babies under 2 (and sans nanny), the days are tough and long. I don't get to do many of the things I used to in order to relax or recharge. This is the story of any moms out there! The reality is that scheduling downtime in, while ideal, doesn't happen. So i like to give myself a *little* treat every day or every other day just for me either when the babies nap or go to bed. Today's little treat are these yummy beauties. Some homemade caramel coffees! yum yum. I made one for me and hubby. The happiness such a simple little treat provides me is immeasurable.

What do u like to do to treat urself? Treat urself today.