C'est La Vie

A Loaf of Bread

2013-02-18T13:01:00.001-08:00

Rishika went to the store just at a walking distance. She did not have much time to go to the mall. She was going to bake croissants for the very first time and went to pick up some instant yeast from the nearby store.

As she entered the store she saw a young boy maybe 8 years old holding a loaf of bread in his hands. She also saw the store owner yelling at the top of his lungs."Were you trying to steal this bread and go off without paying ? Glad we caught you red handed. You thief !!! I know your types."

The boy was shaken and trying to explain. "I'm sure I had money in my pocket and now I don't see it, maybe I lost it on the way. I was going to pay for this". Rishika's heart went out for the little boy and she told the store keeper that she would pay for the bread, It was alright. Why would a boy steal a loaf of bread. Maybe he lost the money or maybe he forgot the money at home. Its only a loaf of bread. The boy thanked Rishika and left the store.

As Rishika stepped out of the store , she saw the same boy waiting for her.He had tears in his eyes and he was so transparent that Rishika immediately knew that he did not have money in the first place. "Why did you do this ? " she asked the boy.

He said he only took this bread for his little sister who was home sick. His father who was an alcoholic had abandoned them just as his sister was born. He and his mother were left to fend for themselves. His mother worked as a maid but she recently lost her job when the family she worked for moved to a different city. So now they lived from day to day. He ran errands for people and got some money. Today he did not get any work at all and it was almost evening. He said, "My younger sister who's 3 cannot be hungry for long like me and my mother. She hasn't eaten anything yesterday and that's why I took this bread. I'm not a thief. I wanted to somehow repay the store keeper back for this bread. But I cannot let my sister starve to death. I would like to pay you back, the moment I find some work". Rishika's heart sank. She stood there speechless and with unstoppable tears.

This is my entry for week 7 of the fifty-2 weeks of 2013 Project. This week's theme is that we should begin our piece with "He was so transparent that..." or include it in our piece.

The World Goes On.

2013-01-23T10:35:00.002-08:00

A girl just died , her loved ones cried.
The world goes on.

A beautiful life just taken away,
by a few merciless crew in a barbaric way.
The world goes on.

There were vigils there were protests,
there were some arrests and some outrage.
The world goes on.

Finger pointing and Soul searching,
Making laws and changing old ways,
The world goes on.

We called her Nirbhaya the fearless one
and saluted her strength for not being a victim
and emerging a fighter and paving the way.

We saluted her for telling her story
which sadly is a story of so many.

Who are not only the victims of the heinous crime
but society makes them a victim yet again.
So they live in terror live in shame ,
What kind of nonsense is this yet again.
Oblivious to it all,
The world goes on.

What sense do you make when they proclaim,
That girls are to be blamed as well.
Why would a girl think it is safe,
and have the audacity to be out at night.
To be able to aspire and dream of a career ,
To be able to dress up as she desires,
Men cannot be blamed they say, as
The women are provoking them all the way.

What kind of madness is this I ask ?
You tell me if this makes sense,
We do live in a nonsensical world.
Where the rules are not the same
for each and every one.
And Still the world goes on.

This is my entry to the "fifty-2 weeks of 2013 project". I absolutely love this project as they have new and exciting themes each week. This week's theme is "Nonsense".

Guru Dakshina - A pound of flesh

2013-01-19T15:21:00.000-08:00

In the epic Mahabharata , Dronacharya is a Guru of the Pandavas and the Kauravas. Soon Arjuna becomes his favorite student because of his hard work and dedication. Dronocharya believes that Arjuna has the potential to be the best archer of the times. In the meantime Eklavya who belonged to a tribal caste did not have the privilege to be trained in the art of archery. Nevertheless determined he makes a clay replica of Dronacharya and worships him and becomes an expert in archery.

Learning of his skills ,Dronacharya is so determined that nobody can come in the way of Arjuna's success he asks Eklavya for his Guru Dakshina. His Guru Dakshina is Eklavya's right thumb. Since Eklavya respects and thinks of Dronacharya as his guru, he cuts off his right thumb and offers it to his guru. Now even though Dronacharya had never taught Eklavya he still makes a demand of Eklavya's "pound of flesh".

I remember as a child as I listened and enjoyed the great stories from the Mahabharata , but this particular story left an impression on my mind. Even as a child I thought it was so unfair that the Guru who should have known better shows favoritism and discriminates as to who should be worthy of his training and who should never even dream of being an expert . At the same time it shows Eklavya's unconditional love and respect towards his Guru who just offers his thumb and ends his dream of being the best archer ever.

Guru Dakshina

Eklavya asked his mom in despair,
"Why can't I learn from the great Man itself ?"

His parents tried to reason with him but in vain,
"We cannot match up with the heirs of this land"

Dronocharya can impart his great knowledge to them,
but you my poor child will just have to wait.

Eklavya is still determined and sadly exclaims,
"I will still learn from the great master, no matter what it takes !"

He goes to the forest and sculpts a statue of clay.
He worships the statue and respectfully says,
"You are my Guru Dronacharya itself".
I'm ready to learn and there's no time to play.

His love for archery sees no night or day.
He practices and practices no matter what people say.

Dronocharya is so happy with his shishya Arjuna
and thinks nobody can surpass the skills that he has.

Unless one day he's amazed by a perfect display,
A wild dog who was disturbing the peace and quiet ,
his mouth was sealed by arrows so perfect.

Who could the great archer be, is his query
It's me my dear Guru and its your knowledge that I just displayed.

Dronocharya thinks quick,
In this great land , there can only be One great archer,
That title belongs to his favorite one.
How dare this tribal prince shatter my dreams,
He must pay a price for his great misdeed.

Dear Eklavya, since I'm your Guru
How about my Guru Dakshina for the skills you just learned ?.

Ask me anything since I regard you as my Guru
How about your right thumb, that's what I desire.

Eklavya bows down to his Guru,
Cuts off his right thumb and offers his Guru Dakshina.

This is my entry to " The fifty-2 weeks of 2013 Project". This week's theme is " A pound of flesh".

New Year Resolution - Empty your cup !!!

2013-01-07T09:28:00.000-08:00

I most certainly belong to the group of people who do not believe in making new year resolutions. I used to though make them once upon a time. Then as time progressed and got so busy and tied down by the demands of a busy household of 4 us two and our 2 kids. A job, a blog, baker on the side and being devoted to be a good mother, a good wife, a good daughter, a good sister, a good daughter in law ,a good friend and a good citizen of this world..Phew !!! (I'm sure if not all, most of us home makers, stay at home moms, and working moms feel what I feel) You see where this is going, right..yes No time to make any resolutions as such..for fear of not being able to be committed enough and see the heartache of breaking them one by one..and feel the guilt and pain that follows. Who has the time and stamina for that.

But one fine day after a very tiring and hectic day, as I was lazily scrolling through my FB posts, I came upon this wonderful and exciting project - The fifty-2 weeks of 2013. You can read about it here. The very first theme for the 1st week of this project is "New Year Resolutions"...I am such a procrastinator..I'm doing it the very last day. The new theme will be announced tomorrow. So If anyone of you are still interested I highly recommend doing this exercise for yourself..It feels good. If nothing it makes one think and wonder. Wow..what do I really want to do this year. A little bit of soul searching and you will be amazed as what you will come up with.

Nan-in, a Japanese master during the Meiji era (1868-1912), received a university professor who came to inquire about Zen. Nan-in served tea. He poured his visitor's cup full, and then kept on pouring.

The professor watched the overflow until he no longer could restrain himself. "It is overfull. No more will go in!"

"Like this cup," Nan-in said, "you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?" ...Courtesy of Wikipedia

My resolution this year is to be able to empty my filled up and over flowing cup(life) with things that are not important to my growth and well being of my family and loved ones. Fill it up with new possibilities , new beliefs (and let go of the old and redundant beliefs), new passions(read hobbies), new energy. Be receptive to change and embrace new ideas. Be able to let go of fear, anger, frustration , to be able to step outside my comfort zone from time to time , to challenge myself.
Fill this empty cup with one random act of kindness a day. I'm very curious and so excited to see how this cup fills up with my random acts of kindness by the end of this year.

Maybe it takes a lifetime for a person to achieve a Zen like state, but every step towards it will be a path to be a Better Me and that's what I'm aiming for.

Sending my entry to this awesome The fifty-two weeks of 2013 Project. Would love to hear from you all and maybe you could share your new new resolutions with me as well.

My recipe on my YouTube Channel ...

2012-02-21T18:20:00.000-08:00

Made another recipe video and its on my channel. Tune into Curryandbeyond's Channel on YouTube.

My first Youtube Video- How to make Falafels.

2012-01-07T12:31:00.000-08:00

Many of you might know that I am an author of another blog http://curryandbeyond.blogspot.com/ as well. Recently made my very first youtube video. Its my 1st attempt and I still have ways to go. Just wanted to share with you all and Wishing all of you a happy 2012.

I would appreciate your feedback. For the detailed recipe follow the link:
http://curryandbeyond.blogspot.com/2012/01/falafel-deep-fried-chickpea.html

My Son

2011-10-15T12:23:00.000-07:00

I saw this book at the library and the moment I set eyes on the title I had to get it. Its from the Chicken Soup for the Soul Series - "Chicken Soup for the Mother and Son Soul". I always came across books and beautiful stories about mother and daughters, hoping some day I would find something about mother and sons. I would say this is a great mother's day gift or a gift for your mother's birthday. I'm simply going to assume guys are reading this post too!!!

It has great collection of short stories which celebrate the journey of raising a son. There's one particular poem "My Son" by Betty King which I would love to share with you all. I hope you like it as much as I did.

My Son

As a lad you held my hand

You walked with me

You sat upon my knee

I sang to you

You came to me

I wiped your tears

You needed me, I needed you.

Then my son, you grew

You dropped my hand

You chose friends to walk beside you

My knee became too small

You had not the time

For a rock or a song

Your tears subsided

You needed them, they needed you.

Then my son, you grew

There were other hands to hold

You took long walks

But not with me

You held others upon your knee

Rocked and sang love songs

You wiped away their tears

You needed them, they needed you.

Then my son, you grew

You took her hand in yours

You walked the aisle with her

Built with your hands

Your own rocking chair

She sang love songs to you

You wiped each other's tears

You pledged your love

You needed her, she needed you.

Then my son, you grew

A little one held your hand

You walked with her

She sat upon your knee

You sang lullabies

You wiped her tears

She called you, "Dad"

She needed you, you needed her.

Then my son, you grew

You became wise

You held my hand

You walked with me

We sat together

We talked of days gone by

You wiped my tears

I needed you, you needed me.

Betty King

What a blogger needs...

2011-09-09T11:02:00.000-07:00

Its soon going to be close to a year that I have ventured into this new world of blogging. I started with my food blog and when I was not so much in a food and recipe sharing mood I started this blog merely for my outbursts and day to day happenings and musings.

I am happy to know so many blog pals and some of them I have started to know so much about them and feel like I know them personally.

Now today's post is just what I feel or think a blogger's basic desire is and I guess its to be appreciated. I know its a humbling feeling for me when I see responses and feedback to my posts. But I guess like everything it comes with its own price. Many a times I feel so guilty and sad if I'm not able to regularly visit them and leave my feedback. I don't want them to feel like I don't care. It happens when you get so tied up with so many things that many a times you could not please everyone. But there are many who are patient and understand and are there for you.

So blogging has been a learning experience for me. I have to be so grateful to many who worry about you and really concerned about your well being. I was so touched by many of you and you all know who you are. There are a few who just abandon you thinking oh my goodness can't waste my precious time giving my feedback to her ..let me shop around for another prospective blogger who can visit me regularly and do a mutual exchange of comments...I'm not trying to be cynical here but I'm just as amazed at how this blogging world works.

I do believe in looking at a glass and see it being half full...and not worry about it being half empty. But we are all humans and have feelings and this was what my take was based on my experience alone.

Ending this post with a song from the movie, Pyaasa- Yeh Duniya Agar Mil Bhi Jaye to Kya hain...

Princess Cake

2011-04-26T11:20:00.000-07:00

Baked this Princess cake for a friend's daughter's 5th Birthday. I'm gald I could help. It was worth the time and effort when I saw the look on her face and the joy it brought her...That was priceless!!!

"My business is making people , especially children happy" - Walt Disney

You Look So Good !!!

2011-03-04T09:10:00.000-08:00

This is a page out of my Mommy Journal. Not that I have one. I used to though once upon a time write down my thoughts and especially if something bothered me just chronicle it in my journal..Then days later when I read what I had written I would have a great laugh..and by then things would all be better.

Right now I love to write down and store these precious thoughts and memories in my bloggy journal, which I'm doing right NOW. Since as mothers and also fathers , we all have these moments (precious, happy, sad). Its a good feeling to share them.

This happened on a Sunday morning. It was a bright sunny morning. I love to wake up a bit early than the rest of my family and enjoy my cup of tea. Thats my time and I love to enjoy the peace and quiet as well.

I tip toe to the powder room as I always brush my teeth before I head to the kitchen for my morning tea. I try to keep it quiet lest I wake up my 3 year old and then its no quiet time for MOMMY.

As I'm half asleep trying to brush my teeth, I feel a tug at my pyjamas. I turn around and I see my 3 year old has tip toed too and is standing right beside me. He greets me with a big chirpy GOOD MORNING !!!.

As I sigh and say, Good morning RiShawn..hoping how I wished I had half an hour just to myself..

He looks at me and says, "You look So Good Mommy !!!". I take one look at my self in the mirror above the sink. Still in my pyjamas, my hair all dishevelled and don't think I look good right now. But it made me so happy that my little boy thinks I look so good. I just laughed so hard and my face lit up and I gave him a hug.

That made me realize what Children are all about. They can see the real beauty in you and the people and things around them. We as grown ups/adults think we know better. I guess we should all from time to time take some lessons from our children. The world would be a much better and beautiful place if only we could see the world through our kids eyes.

The Secret to being Happy...

2011-02-24T22:30:00.000-08:00

If you want to be happy, be. ~Leo Tolstoy

This has been my favorite topic or something to ponder upon. I always wondered and was a bit curious to know what made people happy. I would listen as people would say if they found a perfect spouse or soul mate they would be happy, if they won a million dollars in lottery..it would make them happy..For some a dream vacation and for some diamonds or a big mansion or maybe even an expensive car.

So all this while , in the pursuit of something else you are miserable and unhappy and forget to enjoy today. It happens to the best of us. It happened to me as well. I wanted to get a good education to secure a good job. Wanted to get married to a person who understood me and respected me..got married. Bought a house , got a new job, had a kid, worked, had another kid and then just quit. It was getting too overwhelming. It seemed like life was going super fast. Was I enjoying..Sure..Thats what I thought. I could afford all the things I wanted too..and provide for the little things... But then after my second son was born something within me asked me to slow down..take it easy. I was'nt feeling happy. I thought I had it all. Because I was attaching so much power to things and stuff..but deep within I felt sad. Unknowingly we had complicated our lives and added so much stress.

I took some time off to enjoy the little things in life. To enjoy my kids. Our house ..To have time for my DH. I was feeling happier as I realized the secret to being happy lies within ME..and within all of us..We cannot depend on other things or people to make us happy. Because that just leads to being more unhappy when you give the power to someone else..It is yours to begin with..Its your right and you owe it to youself to make the choice and look within you and see what makes you happy.

For me spending quality time with my kids..they were 4 and a new born then meant a world to me. We would go for walks and go biking. Go on a nature's treasure hunt and come back home with all kinds of stuff. Go on picnics. Just chilling out and enjoying life. There was absolutely no pressure no deadlines to be met and life seemed so simple..Since then we have simplified our lives. All this credit goes to my DH as well as he enabled me to pursue things which would make me happy. Its been three years now and I do feel rejuvenated and ready to reenter the work force again.. as my little one has started preschool and my older son is in 2nd grade. I had a great opportunity to create many precious memories and will continue to do so. But the main lesson I learnt was to take some time off no matter how important other things are.. for your family.

A Job gives you the money to buy a house but the love, support and the precious memories of your loved ones make it a HOME.

I dedicate this post to all the full time mothers who took some time off from their jobs and careers to be home with their kids. It takes a lot of courage to do so.. I know SO... But here I also have to account for many mothers who had to go back to work because of financial reasons. That requires tremendous courage as well.

Get Out Of Your Own Way - A Book Review.

2011-02-07T08:57:00.000-08:00

I have been reading this book on and off for almost a week now and I find it very interesting and its so fascinating to know how our brain(s) work. To be honest I just picked this book from the library as I loved the title and once I started to read the more I read the more I loved it.

The book is " Get Out Of Your Own Way " by Robert K. Cooper. Its a good read but it does take some time to read it and understand what the author is trying to tell you. A bit intense but nevertheless thought provoking and you can relate to it. It gives you real time examples of people you've heard about and how they made it big. I would highly recommend this book to everybody in all walks of life to give this book a try. Mind you I might sound like I'm tring to sell you this book but let me assure you that I'm not being paid for this review.

Also this book has something for everybody. Its a very inspiring book and will motivate you to be the BEST you can be. It talks about 5 keys which the author says will turn your brain's amazing powers to your advantage.

Those 5 keys/ Choices are :

Direction , not motion
Focus, not time
Capacity, not conformity
Energy, not effort
Impact, not intentions

The entire book is based on explaining these 5 keys in detail with great examples and insights. It has been backed by a lot of scientific research which the author shares from time to time. It will surely make you look at the way you have lived your life and all your beliefs. It will inspire you to make some changes to the way you think and use the tools mentioned above to live a much enriched, successful and happier life.

Simplifying my Life...In a Zen state of Mind Now...

2010-11-30T10:56:00.000-08:00

For the last couple months I've been in a Zen State of mind. Feels so light. Feels peaceful. If you are curious to know what happened..Its just one word, " UNCLUTTER".

I know I know,it all sounds Cliche. All sceptics out there..I was one of you as well. Whenever I would read about being organised, uncluttering your house and mind, and stuff like that I would think Yeah right..who has the time for this. We always have excuses for not doing things.

I'm a homemaker now. Of late I've realized that I've been spending more and more time taking care of stuff I don't necessarily need. Then why spend my precious time when I could be doing other things I really enjoy doing. This will make be happy. Also with the holiday season soon approaching would'nt all our stuff we don't need be a valuable resource for many who don't have them. Is'nt this the time for sharing and giving. Believe me when you give it brings you inner peace and not to mention the happiness to the person who recieves it.

So I had a game plan. I meant business. I had my mind made up. There was no stopping ME !!!. I discussed my plan with my family. They were excited too. (Alright I did have to bribe my 7 year old with some money for his piggy bank). The plan was to unclutter one room at a time. Things we knew we did not need had to go.. It was not a easy job let me tell you. But do it one baby step at a time and it works. We started with the kids rooms, their clothes, shoes and toys were sorted out. Only kept things we REALLY needed..and the rest was packed to be given to Goodwill. When you see the results, its instant gratification. You suddenly see the closet all organised. The space is bigger because not much stuff lying around. This motivates you to keep uncluttering and make your life SIMPLE.

So this way we kept working on getting the clutter out of our life and getting some Peace and harmony into our life. We did not do this all at one time. Kept 1-2 hours everyday for this work and it was all worth it.

We are not complety done yet. My kitchen is next on my list and so many odd drawers here and there.. But you do get the point I guess... As for me, let me enjoy my Zen state.....and have a hot cuppa of tea..before I get ready for my Zumba class in the evening. Ciao. There's always Time to Simplify Our lives.

Wednesday Ponderings...Compliments

2010-10-20T07:28:00.000-07:00

Nowadays we are all of us so hard up that the only pleasant things to pay are compliments - Oscar Wilde

I have this book Simple Abundance - A daybook of Comfort and Joy by Sarah Ban Breathnach. The following passage is from this book. I really enjoy reading this book and this is what I read today and would like to share it with You...

All women need more compliments in their lives. We need to give more of them to our families, friends, and strangers. We need to hear more of them, even if we have to give them to ourselves. But most of all, we need to bask in them.

Today be receptive. Start with the assumption that you're beautiful, dazzling, absolutely fabulous. Ask Spirit to reveal how gorgeous and brilliant you really are. Every time someone pays you a compliment, accept it as if an angel had just whispered Spirit's appreciation. Smile and say, "Thank you. How nice of you to notice." Become abundant with your compliments to others. We're all so fragile, especially when we put on a brave face. A sincere compliment can penetrate beneath even the most sophisticated masks to soothe troubled souls. The woman you think needs compliments the least is probably the one who needs them the most.

I absolutely agree with the above passage. I've seen when I pay compliments to someone it does bring me joy as well.. Ofcourse the receiver is happy too. Its a good habit to cultivate..Let me begin right now by thanking my readers who take the time to read my ponderings and some of you take some more time to leave a comment... Its appreciated. Until next time...

Do you believe in first impressions...

2010-08-23T06:29:00.000-07:00

I have always wondered about this. It used to be said that ,the first impression is the last impression..

In my view when you meet the person for the first time..he/she will always put forth their best aspect of themselves..will try to portray a perfect image. I'm not sure its deliberate though..it just comes naturally maybe. In this case you are super impressed and love the person you've just met..

Now on the flip side..What if someone has an extremely bad day or going through something serious in his/her life..now this person you meet for the first time maybe you will not be that impressed and happy about..So we are kind of not giving this person a second chance as we have built an impression/image of this person in our minds...

So in my opinion the first impression is Not always the best/last impression...this is what I feel..looking forward to your views.

OMG I'm Exhausted !!!

2010-08-03T09:05:00.000-07:00

Its summer at its peak here in the US. We had a very hot July..Mostly I'm in Mumbai , India for the summer and relaxing and chilling as my kids have their vacation and I get mine... This year we decided to have my in-laws here for the vacation as we all could spend some quality time here and what better time than when the kids are home. My older one will be 7 in 2 weeks and younger will turn 3 in september. Let me tell you to keep 2 boys busy is one exhausting job. I'm losing track of time..and MOmmy Mommy is all I hear all day long... It feels good too at times but secretly I'm just waiting for the school to begin.

Also I feel I need a vacation just for myself just after school reopens and I can have some time to relax.. Alright got to go as I can hear ..MOMMYYYYYYYYYYY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

Some PEP talk...

2010-06-10T09:35:00.000-07:00

Today as I was catering to my 2 1/2 year old toddler's lunch request there was an AHA moment... He wanted me to cook him some pasta for lunch and he loves his veggies in it too..so was'nt that hard to make him happy. He sat on the kitchen counter watching me make his favorite food. Of late I'm getting really exhausted and my son is very energetic and loves to play all the time and lets face it ...he's quite a handful. My older son is 6 1/2 was just the opposite at this age..He kinda sploilt us (me and my hubby)...He was always well behaved and had proper nap times and a good eater and played well with his toys and took such good care of them. In fact I still have his toys when he was a 1 yr old and they have been kept so well.. By 2 1/2 as I mentioned is just the opposite...I really don't know what to expect next from him...Each day is a new adventure for him as well as me..

Ok let me get back to the 'AHA moment' I mentioned earlier..As my pasta is boiling I figured out how to deal with kids who are high energy and maybe unpredictable..I know there are good moments too..and those I really cherish..Like some days are so much peaceful..and some not so much...

Are you guys ready for my formula...Here it goes :
Loads of (PATIENCE + Energy + PERSEVERANCE ) = Happy Family
So in short PEP (abbreviated form) will make happy mothers and happy kids and when the dads come back from work they are happy as well.

I'm sure many of you would agree with me that to deal with kids and raise them in a positive way we all need tons of Patience. Its easy to lose it and raise our voice but then kids learn from us..and we don't want them to learn wrong...do we..But I do agree its easier said then done..Patience is indeed a virtue..and I'm still developing my patience and trying not to get stressed over trivial things...

Next is tons of Energy- Most of our kids I know which includes exchanging notes with my friends..are really high energy kids..with them you need to somehow match their energy levels and get them involved in sports or physical activity of some kind..Like for my younger one..he loves going to the park and loves the outdoors..He loves going for walks so thats what makes him happy and he's exhausted ..he eats well and naps well. But I know sometimes we get so tired to take them out and there's when they start exploring the house and maybe mess it all up...

Last is tons of PERSEVERANCE - Now some kids are really strong headed. For them you will have to keep trying again and again.. Like about their food habits or some thing which you are trying to work with...Or Maybe some parents are trying to make them stop drinking from their bottles. Some are trying to take away the blinkie. For some it maybe toilet training... It takes a lot of will power on ur part to keep on working with ur kids again and again and again..and it WORKS...

I hope this is helpful to you. Atleast this has been helpful to me. Only today I found the right way to present it hopefully...so this was my PEP Talk to Me...and if you have something which works..feel free to share it with me..

Who am I ....

2010-05-07T08:45:00.001-07:00

I'm a homemaker... I have loads of laundry staring right in my face...they are waiting to be folded and sorted out. Alright just loaded the dishwasher..Check. One task off my list. My older one in school - Check. My younger one had his shower and his breakfast. Check. Great so far so good. Yet so many jobs I still have on my list of things to be done.... You would be wondering whats up with me..with so many things still pending how come I get the time to write this post.. Well I don't - I'm just sipping my 2nd cup of tea..and I'm looking for motivation to start the mundane household chores again.

Alright I should'nt be complaining when so many do not have the luxury to be a homemaker aka house wife.. See I have the flexibility to choose my own hours, I can drink tea whenever I feel like..or shower whenever I feel like..in short no schedules to follow, no pressure of driving to work and facing those awful traffic filled days and struggling to be on time.. No leaving work making sure I'm on time to pick up kids from school and also planning the dinner menu driving back home..Yeah I get all that , But hey I'm only human and its our birthright to complain which could be called Venting Out..

Here in the US we are not so fortunate to have help as back home(India)..There its readily available and cheap too. Here it gets a bit expensive and then too its like cleaning services for 1 hr couple times a week... So here we are the maids, the cleaners, the chauffeurs, chef , teacher, companion... Also when you start doing all the above mentioned chores it does'nt seem that bad and its manageable..but there are days when you JUST HAD IT !!!!. Yes, it makes us feel so good that we don't have to depend on anyone else except ofcourse our DH and kids who share the household chores too...

SO C'est la Vie !!!! .But it all works out in the end.. Its all well that ends well. All of you have a Happy Mothers Day.

A Time for Everything...

2010-04-19T19:38:00.000-07:00

I'm reading a book, "Simple Abundance- A Daybook of Comfort and Joy" by Sarah Ban Breathnach. As I was reading this page, I found it so interesting and optimistic I had to share it with you. Its a passage from this book...Enjoy.

There is a time for everything,
And a season for every activity under heaven - Ecclesiastes 3:1

Yes,but they are not the same.
You cannot raise happy, secure ,emotionally well adjusted children, revel in a fabulous marraige, and work a sixty-hour week.
You want to, I know. So do I. But we can't. It is physically , emotionally. psychologically, and spiritually impossible. We have tried. We have failed.
We cannot circumvent the laws of Heaven and Earth just because it would be convenient. Just because it would fit nicely into our plans. We have tried. We have failed.
When we cannot do it all at the same time, we are meant to do only some of it. In order to find out what that "some" is to be, we need to ask : What is it I truly want right now ? What is it I truly need ? How do I get it ? How much does it cost in life's currency ?
This might be the season for you to wipe a runny nose. That does'nt mean the season of running your own business won't occur. This might be the season of living out of a suitcase. That doesn't mean the season of restoring a colonial farmhouse will never come. Making deals doesn't mean that someday you won't be making school lunches. The seasons of life are not meant to be frenetic, just full.
"You probably can have it all," Anna Quindlen muses. " Just not all at the same time. And ...you might have to make certain compromises when your children are small. But your children are going to be small for a very short period of time... it will go by in a blink of an eye, and you will only be 40, 50, or 60 with another 15 or 25 years ahead of you." A quarter of a century to do what you want to do, the way you want to do it.
Blessed is the woman who knows her own limits.

So signing off for the night with this thought provoking excerpt from this book...

A Happy Heart Makes a Cheerful Face....

2010-04-18T18:43:00.000-07:00

A Happy Heart for you all to bring a smile to your face...

A simple decorated heart cake. My Wilton's cake decoration Course 1, week #2 lesson. We learnt how to decorate a cake with a star #16 tip.
Cake : Vanilla Cake with Strawberry Jam Filling

Frosting :Buttercream

Decoration: Used Tip #16 (star)

Colors : Blue, yellow
I Still have to practice some more to get more satisfactory results... This is a beginning....

A Beautiful quote to ponder upon till we meet again.....
I am learning all the time. The tombstone will be my diploma. - Eartha Kitt.

Wilton's Cake decorating program.

2010-04-16T10:54:00.001-07:00

I have finally enrolled myself in the Wilton's Cake decorating program. I had googled this online and one of my blogger friend also recommended this. So it was on my mind for almost 3-4 months when finally I decided to just go to the nearest location and get myself enrolled. I'm in Course 1 which lasts for 4 weeks - 1 lesson/week. They have 4 levels. I know they do it here in the United states at Michael's. Just go to your nearest location and enquire about it if you are interested or check them out online.

Today is my second lesson and I'm super excited. We have to take a baked cake complete with Icing and our instructor is going to show us how to decorate..I just can't wait. I'm more or less an amateur baker. Though I've picked up quite a few things and techniques from the net and Youtube. So will keep you guys posted as to what happens with my cake decoration lessons..Is it going to be a hit or a miss...Whatever the results it makes me happy to do something for myself.

This is exactly what I wanted to say in today's post...Many a times we get so wrapped up in everything around us and doing so many things for everybody else we many a times forget to just take care of ourselves. So if you just do a little just FOR YOURSELF.. See how it feels..I'm saying this from experience. It could be as simple as just taking a walk or getting a new haircut you wanted or just going to the library and picking up books you always wanted to read. So How about TODAY...So tomorrow you can have happy memories of Today.

Leaving you all with a beautiful quote :
You only live once - but if you work it right, once is enough. - Joe E. Lewis

Dear Mr. Dryer...

2010-03-12T11:56:00.000-08:00

Its been couple days that our dryer decided that enough is enough and it was time to say good bye to us...He left us there stranded...My new load of freshly washed laundry..thanks to Mr. Washer was left to dry by itself or find a replacement.

No, No before you all run to conclusions and think I'm losing my mind- Let me explain the situation. We in this technology advanced era have gotten so used to the household appliances that many a times we just take them for granted. Maybe if we show a little gratitude to the services provided by them and being there for us when we need them..it would be fair on them.. Of course they are machines..they have no feelings..You are absolutely right...But a thought just crossed my mind and for a moment just lets pretend they have feelings. So I decided to show my gratitude to the unsung heroes(appliances) in our household and thought it would be appropriate to address them as Mr. Washer, Mr. Dryer etc.. Why not right...after all they are with us day in day out... So Mr. Dryer maybe you just need a day to rest or maybe you are in a coma--please come back , we all need you..the clothes love you..and need your warmth. We homemakers and busy moms can't work without you. You have been an integral part of our lives. Mr. Appliance Doctor is on its way and I hope can see whats wrong and can fix you.. Everything is going to be fine.

Leisure by W.H. Davies

2010-03-08T07:31:00.000-08:00

What is this life , if full of care
We have no time to stand and stare ?

No time to stand beneath the boughs,
and stare as long as sheep and cows :

No time to see, when woods we pass,
where squirrels hide their nuts in grass-

No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night:

No time to turn at beauty's glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance:

No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile that her eyes began ?

A poor life this if full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

I love this poem even till this day. I remember learning this as a child and I revert back to the wisdom in this poem from time to time.

Sometimes when life goes about at such crazy and hectic schedule this poem always reminds me to take a moment and relax. Enjoy the bounties of nature. There will always be some task to be completed some place to reach.

I'm sure many would agree with me that time to time many of us over commit ourselves. We think if we squeeze in our time we could even do a particular thing for someone. In all this grand plan of making time for everybody we many a times fail to make time for ourselves. I'm guilty of this. So I know and now it soon catches up with you and then you end up emotionally , physically and mentally drained.

So as we all our in our spring cleaning mode I just took a moment to declutter my mind as well. I'm making a list of things I can do and things I could not really do. If I over stretch myself I end up over exerting myself and that leaves me feeling so tired and not happy either . So I narrowed on 2 important things which will really make my life very easy and make me happy-

I figured its alright to allow ourselves to say , 'No' once in a while to commitments which we really do not have time for. Its impossible to please everyone everytime.
Make time for 'ME' time where I can do things I love to do- this could be as little as 10-15 minutes to an hour- things like writing, blogging, reading to name a few.

See, I feel better already by pouring my heart out in this post. See you soon with more of whats happening in my life. In the meanwhile, feel free to give me your suggestions and feeback on this post.

Another Snow Storm...

2010-02-25T13:10:00.000-08:00

By now we on the East Coast have seen so much of snow this winter, we do not even want to think about more snow. Until this morning, we get some more. The school called this morning to let us know, No School Today. My son is excited and happy as he gets another snow day...

My younger son is happy as he has his big brother to play with him all day long. Now I see this as a plan to keep me super busy. The morning begins with a lazy start. The kids are awake and are tip toeing downstairs to check out the snow. Soon I'm busy fixing breakfast and lunch and occasionally tempted to see the weather report.

It has started to snow and sweet soft snow flakes oblivious to everything around are beginning to cover everything it falls on. Now that does feel beautiful to look at. But as too much of a good thing loses its charm after a while, thats how I've started to feel about snow too. The first snowfall is beautiful and kids love making snow angels and having innocent snow ball fights. Then when it starts disrupting the normalcy around you, then you know you have had too much.

Soon Its evening and I get some quiet 'Me' time when the kids are being entertained by my husband who was working from home. I guess when you say you are working from home in fact you are over working. We saw him emerge once from his study for lunch and has been busy all day with his conferences and the likes. So I enjoyed my time sipping my favorite hot ginger tea and writing this post. This has been therapeutic for me and when I write and pour out my thoughts and ideas it makes me rejuvenated and makes me feel so good.

Talking about Winter and the Snow storms, I know this shall soon pass. Spring will be here soon. You can feel the crisp spring air, the birds chirping happily, the sun shining bright letting us know all is well. The new flowers blooming and seeing the landscape change makes you so happy.

So this makes me think, if we did not have the cold severe weather would we appreciate the warm weather and the beautiful gifts of nature. I guess not, as we would soon begin to take things for granted. Only when we lose something , do we value it for what it was worth.

A Wakeup Call...

2010-02-19T15:26:00.001-08:00

Thanks a lot for caring. I was away for a while and many of you were worried for me. I was a bit under the weather and also too sad to post for some time now.

I was with one of my friends trying to comfort her as much as I could as her husband is far away from her Now. He had just turned 40 and his exit from this earth was untimely and just so soon. I must say though he has lived is life to the fullest enjoying every moment of it. That's what one of his dearest friend so beautifully described saying what we could have done and achieved by the time we would be say in our 80's he did it by the time he was 40. Also he always had a wonderful smile on his face and his sense of humor was one which got people hooked onto him. Best of all was his love for food. He loved to cook as well. He was a person who could make friends with anybody and everybody. As we were grieving with his wife and amidst the tears we were exchanging notes and incidents about him ,there was laughter with the tears. Then his wife said so too -He would'nt want us to cry for him but to celebrate his life on this earth. A Remarkable human being, a caring and loving husband, a wonderful father to his 3 girls and a wonderful friend.

He taught us all one thing. It was like a wakeup call for us. Seize the moment and live for today and live like there's no tomorrow. Be kind and thoughtful today. Sometimes there is no tomorrow, just a memory of what yesterday was all about. Its almost 3 weeks now since we lost him but he will be missed and remembered forever.