March 10 - Restart

After a really really long time, the kid starts her yoga with the OA.  I need to pitch in soon too.  Why is it that I dont keep up with my exercise every day and do it only when the health is under serious threat??

That aside, while the OA says he is being much more alert due to my health, nothing stops my binge eating, I am such a bad patient I say..

March 9 - Pav Bhaji :)

 You can easily find out something is wrong with me if I am cooking continuously and that too out of the regular rice and veggie stuff... Pav Bhaji it is and you can imagine the surprise of the OA when I make this for the kid's lunch box early in the morning.  I think I am seriously sick :-p

March 8 - Lazy No Cooking Day

No prizes for guessing this food lump in my plate considering our family is great at one-pot meals and better still any and every type of upma.  The OA makes broccoli, spinach, upma with lots and lots of chillies.. yumm!!!

March 7 - Old World US

In the world of Imax and latest  movies in theaters, I love this place for the way it looks, the movies it screens.

March 6 - An outing

The doctor visits, the blood tests, the results, the wait is driving me crazy these days, so I decide to cool off a bit and shop for self and the kid.

March 5 - Spicy and home-made

Life is good for people like me who have friends who know you love to eat and hate to cook ;).  The friend made some at home and brings them over.. Love!!!

March 4 - Spy Can Craft

The kids make their I-spy jars with a theme of the scout law.   Love the way the kids are expressing themselves these days.

March 3 - Love Letter :)

This was the note the kid had written back in her 1st week of 1st grade days :).  Her spellings do kill me even now but looking at this I am so much more thankful that lord is being cinde to me :) 

March 2 - Pasta Salad

Made pasta for kids lunch, added Trader Joes Veggie mix, a few sauces and jalapenos for a yumm breakfast for self.

March 1 - The Magnet Wall

Wanted to pick up some soveniers of the states we had been to in US and take it back home, I am tired of the knickknacks, the need to dust them, keep them in curios and honestly I am beginning to think they are clutter, so magnets it is that we are taking back as memories and this is a wall with a small iron door electric panel which we use to display our visits.

Kid loves this and keeps changing the display once in a while.

Feb 28 - Bookish Fish :)

My crazy title does not have anything to do with these books able to read or whatever, it is just that these happen to be the residents of the kids library section and I love to look at them as the kid goes through her business :).

Feb 27 - Pongal Temple Style

For a family who goes to temple to eat good food and see God in that order, I have never made katt pongal at home.  Thanks to Vah Chef and his wife, my life has become simpler.  I love the authentic Sailus food recipes but with the ease of looking them cook, Vah Chef video it is that guided me through.

Yum, one pot meal :).

Feb 26 - Nice Thought

Saw at the senior center where the girls meet for their scout meeting..


and the girls made their own brownie contract, their own rules for the troop based on the GS law.

I am surprised at the choice of their words like inclusive, personal space.  My tiny little daisies all grown up and talking sense :)

Feb 25 - Cooking With Onion :)

Since the kid had been to the Isha kids camp this summer, the usually if-left-to-her-choice-never-touch-a-veggie kid did not want to eat onions anymore declaring it to be nonpranic.  OA being the experiment master he is decide that there is no harm taking out the onion.  Me being the lazy cook with one less thing to cut was happy.

Then starts my crocodile fest, to make the gravies without onion 😛.  After 7 months comes the onion at home in cooking, so it is an occasion to remember.

Feb 24 - An Eventful Day

Watching Isha Coimbatore festivities live has become a Sivaratri ritual for me, so while it is Sivaratri in India it is Sivaroju for me here.  This year the magnitude is much much higher due to adiyogi unveiling..

The day was eventful for the kid who is now officially a candidate for black belt and one thing we would regret is she just going back home without that degree.  Martial arts inculcates a sense of discipline and sharpens the child's reflexes undoubtedly and every child needs to learn self defense period.

The lazy me and the crazy kiddo always find a reason to out and what more excuse than the testing :).  So Boston Market it was followed by Coldstone, kid her usual chocolate and coffee lovers for us.  Forget fasting on Mahasivaratri, I ended up eating chicken, I have cut down nonveg a lot, this should stop too.  I should give it to the kid for sticking to her no NV diet religiously.

The child knew about keeping her spine erect and waking up whole night on Sivaratri through Isha and her dad and the little one decides to do it, I like how she sticks to and follows through her choices whatever they are and at the same that is a source of my concern too at times.

Feb 23 - Power or the Lack of it!

As part of the session today we discussed about what powerful is how it is transmitted through generations using a genogram and how it is translated into our community and our lives and vice verse..

It is ironic while we discuss how to discover the power within us, we are so powerless or helpless as to the events across the globe, the increase in hate crimes and the panic thereafter.  Dumping all the blame on Trump for being vocal about what obviously a lot of people feel within.  Giving voice and strength to their inner thoughts he did wantedly or as a collateral damage to get to power but i doubt if he has put them in their minds like the media is doing right now... Confused...!!!

Feb 22 - Must Dos

We have 4 branches of our amazing library, 2 of which we frequent a lot.  The bikestand and the doggie display are must play spots whenever we go there, at least once even when we are rushing through everything else. :)

Rain or Shine, we need to ride the doggie, climb over it slipping, losing grip, whatever it takes.. little great joys of a child.

Feb 21 - Mommy cooks..

I completely shock myself some times in terms of my cooking.  In an attempt to empty my pantry of the stuff that I buy that I hardly use, found a bag of rice flour, usually I would have given it away to friends but the sudden cook bug gets me unaware and I end up making these gatti chekkalu.  The kid and her friends and of course OA loved them a lot but too much of oil and deep frying like always left me drained.

That said, I remembered my ammamma a lot who made loads and loads of savories and sweets and snacks for us with so much love and never complained once.. from pounding rice with hands to having no gas stoves, they did everything without mumbling and here I am, all I had to do was mix and fry, feeling as if I am done with my dose of cooking for the next 10 days or so... aarrgh.

Feb 20 - Another bright day

Another bright day but a bit on the colder side, so just an hour of playtime before we rush indoors..

The veggies cleaned, cut stored and ready for the week.!!!

Feb 19 - A sunny Winter Afternoon

It is difficult to believe that it is still Feb in this part of the world with sun so bright, no snow at all, temps high the kids have a blast at the local park.

and yours truly settles down with a book :)

Feb 18 - Sorting

Letting go of things is the toughest task, a few of her books set aside to give away to her cousins..  One thing I am gong to miss going back to India is books.  I feel too stressed to even think of leaving behind our 1st home together..

Went grocery shopping in the evening and it always a pleasure to listen to old songs on the drive, the same list for the last 10 years, in between we switched to new ones but evenually fall back into the old track :)

Feb 17 - Takeout

Had a promotional card from CPK and as usual no mood to cook, so we get a take out.. our usual me the Crunchy Thai Salad, spicy buffalo cauliflower and two in a bowl for OA and Curly mac for the kiddo...

I had been a bit busy the whole day and when I check the news there is this floor test already... another all nighter for the politically crazy me..

well, News is reigning supreme at home these past 10 days at home...

Feb 16 - Ugadi Practice

The child has been performing at TAWCT events from the time we moved to this part of US.  I am not a big fan of what goes behind these shows, those dress hunts, the parent egos, the practice sessions, the time juggling and finally the day of the event is another story altogether..

But all said and done, the child likes being on stage, she loves to dance, so there we go.. The winter break begins and so do the practice sessions and there I go checking out what might be the possible costume on stage not just for the kid but for everyone else too :).

Feb 15 - Her biggest problem

The kid is almost a black belt candidate now, a life skill that I strongly believe a child should have irrespective of the gender.  Is it beneficial, yes, it keeps her fit, her reflexes are better and sharper, I would prefer a more serious and one-on-one approach but this is the best the city has to offer in terms of taekwondo, so!

The kid hates sparring session as of now, she does not want to give up and dodge, she needs to go into attack and defense modes aggressively is what she thinks but at the end of the class she gets into the sparring is the worst class, can we please skip this one... aarrghhh!!!  I know she is going to soon enjoy it and miss it when we move back to India, so for now we just laugh it off :)

Feb 14 - Sugary Junk

The kid comes home with her v-day loot and Fun-Dip is the "in" thing this year.. yicky stuff!!!

Feb 13 - Hectic Monday

We learned about chocolate, checked out the plants, the cocoa nuts, nibs and made chocolate dipped oranges and strawberries.  It was an experience to learn about them, when I asked the kid as to how the chocolate came, she said bring it from the store, so it becomes all the more necessary that we do this little session.

and because it as Valentines Day, we set about making valentines with pressed flowers and leaves..

Grocery shopping for valentine themed cookies for the class party and of course the routine book drop off at the library.. how can we come empty handed??  So...

Feb 12 - A Not So Lazy Sunday

Another snow and rainy day, the kid crazy as she is about sledding goes to sled yet again for hours...

and I have done something I haven't done ever in my life, (this might even seem criminal to those indulging moms who cook to the whims and fancies of the kids), in spite of the kid loving it so much.

Tadaa... so yours truly makes puri along with hotel style koora from Vah Chef's wife's recipe video :)

I am not really sure if I would do it ever again though!!!

Feb 11 - Happy Weekend

Kid loves the snow, last year there was not much and one time there was, she was unwell, so could not go, here is her one last snow-filled winter, so she is going crazy, sledding whole day tirelessly...

Snow time followed by hot chocolate with whipped cream and 3 marshmallows :) her favorite treat.

Every alternate Saturday is our scout meaning, the brownies are on a Quest and as part of their connect key, they had to follow a healthy lifestyle habit and a snack recipe which they did.. the library had a valentine craft and story time, so it was an eventful Saturday as usual for us..

I have put on several volunteer hats over the past few years in the city, the longest was the book seller at Friends store for almost 3 years, except for a slight racist slur from the coordinator which I choose to ignore, it was one of the very happy experiences.

Feb 10 - Crazy Cook

Those who know me know how much I hate cooking.  The easier the better any day if it comes to me to cook.

There was some leftover rice and some boiled vermicilli, both in small quantities not sufficient for a meal for two.  The kid got pizza, so the lazy me opens up Grand Sweets curryleaf paste, saute it and add some peanuts, chillies to spice it, salt to taste, add the boiled vermicilli and then finally add up the rice, toss it for a few minutes.. simple.

My logic if we can mix noodles and fried rice why not semiya and sonamasoori, crazy but it did taste good enough and tadaa no leftovers!!!

Feb 9 - Snow Day

This is the 4th year at home and I have never seen such strong winds and snow though the overall accumulation is less comparatively.

and of course the kid gets to play

Feb 8 - A Pleasant Service

I met a pastor friend of mine Mickie a while ago at OM judge training and then she got me to help out with care alternate Wednesdays where these kids' mom get to go to church peacefully...

I had been volunteering in the library every Wednesday for quite some time last year when I gave up which is a story for some other time :) if that work got me to close to the books I love, this one got me close to God.. not really the God in the church but the god in these children.

I love these kids, their smiles, their innocent games and those couple of hours are the closest to the worship that I gave up long ago.

Feb 7- Children Again

Another reason I love our place is the commercial adult day care center in the premises, every morning these beautiful souls come to spend their day, they make friends, sing songs or just some days just sit on the benches and enjoy the sun...

The way they walk slowly, cautiously so happy to see their friends for the day is endearing...

Feb 6 - Home away from Home..

When I moved here from Atlanta, it was a shock, the weather, the expenses, the school system basically everything!!  But then suddenly we are here with no where else to go.  We had corporate accommodation for a month back in 2013 and then set about finding a place to call home here..  Though it has its issues and a whole lot of imperfections this is one place that was warm and welcoming with so many Indian faces and the fact that we went there around school time to check out the flat with so many kids coming out of the bus stop worked in an instant favor..

a well-lit and corner-most house here has been our abode and will be till we move back home, so this place holds a special place in my heart.

Feb 5 - A pleasant surprise

There was an invite from the kid's art teacher to the Palace Theater, I asked her if she had any of her works sent to the displays and she had no clue and it being the weekend could not call the teacher to confirm what it was.  As it was just a normal lazy weekend at home, decided to go and take a look at the Black History Month Display over there..

 and there comes the surprise to her and me both... an inspiring woman art by the kid...  Lorraine Hansberry (to be honest, I did not know who she was until I read up the note attached to the pic) and so did a lot of the people out there..

and then they took their certificates from really friendly happy mayor of the city... I love this man...