A Dozen Years Old!

The days is etched in my memory, a dozen years ago driving in the snow for delivering my first born. I was amazed, dazed and elated!

And now here, 12 years later as Miss V turns 12, I am still amazed, dazed and elated.

She has truly been an easy breezy baby, toddler, kid, tween and now a wonderful 12 year old!

Miss V, Happy 12th Birthday!

Considering you have found my blog and continue to read my posts, I will still be honest but this year instead of my annual letter to you, I will highlight 12 things that make you super special!

1. You are wise and mature way above your years. I can talk to you like a friend sometimes, an adviser sometimes and sometimes like a mom and interestingly you know what role I am playing!
2. You can perceive others feelings with ease. It amazes me how sometimes in a gathering, you will just look at me and smile.

3. Your face is transparent at least to me, yes a mom just knows sometimes!

4. Your emotions run high and deep. But you are guarded for the world, and read point 3, yes to me you are transparent! Though as you get older, I wish there was a mind reader that I could use from time to time.

5. You are analytical, more practical than emotional. Which again goes back to point number, you are way wiser than a 12 year old!

6. You know which buttons to press to either get what you want or annoy when you want and above all you keep testing the boundaries. It keeps me on edge, but your sense of responsibility shines even when at times when I am exasperated!

7. You are a true foodie! You will try everything and are showing increased interest in whipping up elaborate meals! I am excited for the years to come to have a foodie buddy.

8. Your friendships run really deep. You will know a  lot of people, but you stick to your core of evolving young friendships. It is truly amazing.

9. Your ability to grasp complex scenarios or concepts is outstanding. It is really fun explaining you how things work and learn new things with you. You make me want to stay "current"

10. Your passion for anything sporty is awesome. This middle school year, with all your commitments, I know it has been lesser than you'd like, but I love that you are passionate about your passion (Yes, cheesy!)

11. You are not afraid to voice your opinions. Be it a dinner party, a BBQ gathering, a Dance party. You do however take time to listen to another's point of view and then slowly will adapt!

12. You are a beautiful kid, inside out! The kindness in your eyes reflect your heart. Your smile is naughty, thoughtful and always charming.

It is no surprise that a lot of the kids (young and same age) hang out with you. You become their pied piper! You love to engage with the adults and are cool to hang out with them, immerse them in your world and be adorable. 

I do understand you are at a tricky age- too old for young kids and too young for old kids. It will be a learning experience for all of us. You do love that big sister role and yes you annoy each other and me as a result! (Eye Roll Insert!).

Happiest 12th Birthday to you!

Life is good and beautiful and it will be filled with crazy ups and downs! But remember we are always there in your corner. Be yourself and continue to evolve in this beautiful person you are becoming!

My First born, you are a dozen years old and NO, I don’t feel old (yet!)

A good Year 2019

If there are two words I can use to describe the year that went by it will be "Busy" and quite possibly "Satisfying"

2019 = Busy & Satisfying

The year started nice and easy, as always Chicago gets cold but good friends and chatty evenings make it  warm and cozy. Spring through fall, this year was a blur for me! We had family visiting from India for most of it which meant endless beach trips, shopping trips, foodie excursions and of course lots of laughter and endless laundry!

Work was equally busy to the point, I don’t remember having a single night off for 7 continuous months. (Read: Self Pity!) I remember tucking the girls in and then just logging on till the wee hours of the morning. Sumit and I were trading our long work nights so the other one could be with the kids.

But still very satisfying, since kids thoroughly enjoyed the pampering of the grand parents, I did enjoy the professional high and developed an increased gratitude for a simple life. It is a great feeling!

This year is dotted with great highlights: The girls are now finally in the same school which makes life, schedule and discussions so much easier. Touch wood, they both are thriving. The older one planned a Birthday Surprise for me which was completely out of the blue and really well thought of. It still makes me smile, my 11 year old coordinating and executing along with Sumit. And of course, how can i miss: Miss V got her phone (flip phone, much to her angst! But a phone none the less)

The girls got involved with a non-profit this year which they participated in, led and tracked the progress of the work. This was such a fulfilling experience for us a family and as we continue this into the coming years, the life's lessons will be unparalleled.

We continue our travels and adventures. A few weeks in summer across Europe. 8 countries travelled, traversed and ending at a friends wedding were brilliant. We managed a few quick weekend getaways to Lake Syracuse and then of course a much needed Mini Re-Union trip to NYC. Of course the end of the year is marked by 2 weeks uninterrupted time  with my family while enjoying everything Dubai!

Travelling as a family comes naturally to us. The kiddos are such amazing explorers and adventure seekers. Next year, I would like to get more national parks and some fun hikes under our belt!

As the years go by, I get more and more relaxed about my friendships, more secure in some relationships and definitely I am continuously working to reduce the FOMO. As a family, we met some wonderful people this year whom we look forward to get to know better. Friendships have deepened, which in my definition is showing up with a 10 min warning in PJ's and just chilling! Knowingly or Unknowingly I have not been able to keep up with some people and have realized "That's okay.  Life is busy and with kids, work, BAU and just simple silly things, I feel content." 

2019 was a Good Year. I am glad to hit the new decade with renewed energy, more smiles and above all more peace within myself. My belief of "If I am happy people around me will be happier" continues to deepen. I am grateful for a wonderful year and I look forward to the New Year and the New Decade!
And of course more jumping shots!

Hope you rung in your new decade with smiles and surrounded by family and friends and endless hugs and silliness!

Wishing you all a Very Happy New Year

SSSSSSEEEEEEVVVVVVVVVVVVEEEEEEEEENNNNNNNNNNNNN

That's how old the Little Lady is now.
Over a long pre-birthday celebration lunch, the Little Lady told me: " Mummy I fell Odd" and of course I asked her why?. She responded "Since I am turning Odd years old"

Aaah!

I was reading her birthday posts at 3.5, 5, 6 and oh my gosh, hasn't the theme of Musical, Rainbow- Unicorn loving and slow eating continues on!
My Little Lady, you continue to mesmerize me, keep me on my toes in a good way and you amaze me with your darling charms!

My Annual Letter to Her
Dear Sassy Seven year old.

We ALL love you. You are amazing, very generous, empathetic and above all very affectionate. You talk with a smile, you dance with a smile, you sleep with a smile and you even cry with the lips turned upwards!
I love you through your "crying at a drop of a hat", "endless chatter", "slow eating","super long chats" and above all Endless Hugs.

You do LIGHT up a Room.
You do annoy your sister and also you miss her the most when she is away
You pick up an extra lollipop for your didi ALWAYS
You sung, hum, chant, play the piano and every thing musical
You skip more than you walk.
You ask "I dont understand that?" And continue to ask questions until you get it
You leave little post-it's around the house: "Teach me chess", "Can i see TV"
You have read "Harry Potter Book 1 & 2" before your 7th birthday!
You can spend hours watching TV without blinking
You need to know everyone in the room or the party
You can hug, my gosh you can hug!
You have your favorites and then you add more to your favorite list of people
You can debate with a smile and generally get your way

And above all: You teach us to Smile More and above all you show sympathy and empathy way above your age. It makes our heart melt.

Dear Little Lady, continue being who you are. You  make my heart go mush and you make me teary eyed without your kind heart and empathy!

We love you my 7 year old,  Sassy,  Eye Rolling, Expressive, Loveable and chanting Little Lady

Email: "We Lost"

On a lazy weekend afternoon we are walking around downtown with the little lady enjoying the 1:1 time we rarely get with her. 

I get an email from Miss V from her Robotics competition Reading "We Lost". I show my slightly shattered phone screen to Sumit saying: I think we should go to her competition to support her and cheer her up. Losing is tough always!

Along with her team Miss V has been working to compete in FLL, A city wide Lego Robotic competition. It is her first time and is a team of middle school kids: 6th, 7th and 8th graders all working for a common goal.

Now, back to the afternoon: We reach the school and all 12 participating teams and the supporting parents/ guardians coaches are all seated on the gym bleachers awaiting the results. I was expecting sad long faces, but no, they were sitting beside each other and cheering the other one on! 

I was left astounded. Here I came prepared with pep talks and cheer up messages in my head and the kids were fine!

The Award presentation ceremony begins!

Such amazing sportsmanship seen from all teams and such little kids is unbelievable. You can see the sadness in their faces when their team is not called out, but you also see their immense happiness for other teams as they go to pick up the trophies. So much to learn from this generation.

From the sidelines of the bleachers, I see my daughter with her team crossing their fingers! The younger siblings crossing everything and being there mini cheer leaders! And they describe the next category "Judges Award: "Allows the judges the freedom to recognize remarkable teams that stand out for reasons other than the Required Award categories."

And the winner is…….. Drum roll Drum roll….. Miss V and her Team

WOWZA!!! Of Course I am misty eyed, I do the proud parents "wohoo" and hold my husband's hand a little tighter. Her team also qualifies for the State Championships!

Man, this is one roller coaster evening!

The hi-fives continue, the cheering continues and the customary pictures are clicked. The smiles stay frozen on each and every one of their faces.
 

And her email which made us rush to school was : "We Lost"

In the evening, we talked about that one email, she said the following "I was really mad and upset after the final round. And then we realized we had nothing to loose after the final round, so we kept our spirits up, played games and just relaxed a little. We had worked so hard. It was amazing just to compete. And of course winning is unbelievable"

She did learn a very important life lesson in those 12 hours herself ."Keep trying, be consistent and win or loose, it does not really matter. Just keep trying. You will be fine".

Am I ready for this?

Kids are growing up too fast. Case in point.

Miss Chatterbox

• Miss Chatterbox and her friends talk on the phone, they plan their "Hang out day" at our place. And the unpaid uber drivers parents are informed accordingly
• Considering I am at work and Hubby is busy with work calls, Miss Chatterbox cooks lunch by herself for the friends and family.

• In evening, they summon me to join them at Chriskindle market where the friends hang out and us mums were carrying their shopping and well honestly also having a good time looking at their independence!

• In the night, their "virtual party" continues since they are chatting on "google hangouts" way past their bed time(s)

Little Lady

• The sassy eye rolls have started already and her claim that "Hairbands are so childish mom."
• The Harry Potter book series are being read furiously and she is on book 2 and not yet 7 years of age. Can I freeze her in time?

•  She is claiming that since Didi had her friends "hanging out" she needs her own "play date" sans parents soon.
• She is "saving chocolates" so she can enjoy them tomorrow. Read delayed gratification instead of right here, right now!

They are ready for this, but Am I ready for this?.

How do I balance letting them soar the skies and having their feet grounded on the floor?

How do I help them balancing the "social media" to the "real people" connection?

How do we as parents continue being the "cool parent" but also being the "rules parent"?

While I ponder on these, the Sassy Sisters are back to a craft project at home making a Thank You card. I guess they are still kids for a little longer.

An Impromptu British Evening!

In case you haven't read, Chicago has been cold, unseasonably cold. Which I feel is the story of every year and we forget.

After a long dentist appointment and it being as cold as it was, I just didn’t want to cook. I wanted to go out and break the monotony of us complaining about how cold it is!

As I stood in the cold, waiting for my uber to get home, any "wanting to eat out" enthusiasm I had just fizzled out. So we did the next best thing: Cook and make an evening of it

Cooking is less science and more of the pure passion of eating delicious food.

Simple.

 Case in Point: A friend of mine keeps saying, she barely cooks. But her Paneer Makhanwalla is the best I have EVER eaten. Less Science, more of her passion of eating the delicious food she makes!

At Tagore Villa- Kolkatta

Back to this cold, dreary evening, Sumit and the Little Lady by value of association decided on the menu.

(Deepak means Diya, means rememeber when in Calcutta we went to see how Diay's are made, means remember Calcutta, means remember the Baked  Beans on Toast at Flurry's)

Yep, logic of association makes sense, complete sense ;-)

Flurry's Baked Beans!

The menu decided was "Baked Beans on toast" and headed to the store to get the Special Baked Beans needed for this!

As I got home and waited for them, mind became active and I was likeI need more than Beans on toast: 

How about a "British evening" .The menu expanded to

1. Baked Beans on Toast
2. Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie
3. Which was to be followed by a Cup of Tea! (Never happened, since we have over-stuffed ourselves)

Recipe for "Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie:

Ingredients: 

For Filling

1. 1/2 cup chopped each
1. Carrots
2. Green Beans
3. Onions
4. Bell Pepper
5. Celery
2. 2 cloves Garlic finely chopped
3. 2 tsp Butter
4. Spices per taste: Salt, Black pepper, Dried Oregano, Cinnamon
5. 3 tomatoes pureed
6. 2 tsp Maida/ All Purpose Flour

For Topping

1. 3 medium potatoes boiled and mashed
2. 1 tsp yogurt or 1 tsp egg-less mayonnaise
3. 1 cup shredded Cheese
4. 1/2 cup Panko/ Breadcrumbs: Optional

Process for Filling

1. On a hot skillet, add butter. Once melted add onions, garlic and sauté till translucent

2. Add carrots, beans, bell pepper and celery, sauté for 2-3 minutes and cover and let it simmer on slow flame
3. Puree the tomatoes with the all purpose flour. Feel free to add 1/2 cup water for ease of blending

4. Once vegetables are tender, add the tomato - flour paste and add spices.

5. Let it simmer till the sauce thickens, taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
6. Turn the flame off

Process for Topping

1. Mix Potatoes, 1/4th cup shredded cheese and the yogurt/ egg less mayonnaise. The consistency should be of mashed potatos.
2. Feel free to add some salt/ black pepper per taste

Bake:

1. In a baking dish, layer the filling first.
2. Add the potatoes on top to cover all filling
3. Cover with the remainder 1/4 cup cheese, top with panko

4. Bake in the over for 20 minutes at 375 F.

5. If you like the top crispier, feel free to leave in the oven for additional 10 minutes

Enjoy with the hungry kids, missing your Brit friends and definitely make a "British Evening" just because!

Fireplace and a warm hot meal with the family!

This was a true hit with the kids and Sumit also approved of this Pie! Even going as far as, we need to make again and admiring: Is this all made from Scratch?

Yes it is, please refer to Recipe above Mr. Hubby so you can make it next time!

Made from Scratch for sure!

Diwali Celebrations

Diwali, The festival of lights, the victory of good over evil. The favorite festival of our household.
A reason to dress up in Indian fanfare, eat delicious food, spruce up the house with candles, colorful rangoli's showcasing the kids creative side and above all meet friends and family and just be festive, happy and grateful.

This year, I was feeling a little lazy to get the process started> I asked the girls, can we skip the annual Diwali Party? And both of them responded right away saying "Absolutely Not". So that was that.
We planned and prepped, kids helped decorate the home, made diya mistletoe, friends RSVP'd, menu was thought through, appetizers were discussed and debated and above all, the highlight: the dances! They kept asking me, what song, how long, how many, solo, couple etc etc.
We landed on 5 this year :-D Since that's how we role. All in all, I am glad the kids now relate to Diwali and actually live and breathe it as we did growing up in India

A friend was reminiscing her Diwali in a school in Indian hill town and her story of saving to buy fireworks, overlooking the valley and seeing it all lit me made me nostalgic.
For me, it was the yearly "getting house ready". Polishing the silver, decorating the house with a "theme" having cousins and friends over for a big family dinner and pooja. Above all going to family friends house with treats and getting treats from them, greeting everyone and dressing up with everything feeling magical. Diwali was a big deal and I am hoping it will continue to be a big deal in the generation to follow.

Like all years, this year was special. The girls, oh the beautiful girls. As we got ready for our home pooja, the girls like clockwork knew how to set up the temple, the writing on new books, the asking of presents,  the discussion of us being grateful in the world and above all, greeting one and all "Happy Diwali"

May we continue our traditions and invent new ones as we go along this journey together.

Wishing you and your family a very Happy Diwali.