Lil' Angels

Mama, The Martian?

2008-03-11T10:55:00.002-04:00

Diya is learning all about the solar system at school. She is learning about the stars, the moon, the planets. I am getting a refresher course myself.
Over dinner last night, we were talking about the planets:

Diya: Mama, do you know the planets?
Mama: Yes, I know them. (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars.....
Diya: You know Mars?
Mama: Yes I know Mars.
Diya: Have you been to Mars?
Mama: Have I been to Mars??????? No. I don't think anyone has.
Diya: But Papa said you have been to Mars!
Mama: (Shooting daggers with eyes at Papa!!!). No I have not been to Mars.

Papa: Looking as innocent as possible. And trying to stay out of the way.

The man has a great sense of humor.

Happy Birthday, Kittu Masi!

2008-03-07T08:58:00.003-05:00

Kittu Masi, if you were closer, we would have spend the day baking these for you:

And hope that there is enough batter so that we can truly enjoy our hard work.

We aim to please ;)

Hope you had a great Birthday!!!

Love,

The Little Angels.

The Pet Phase

2007-05-23T10:46:00.000-04:00

Yes, it's been a while....again. I apologize for my laziness.

Diya is in the 'I want a pet' phase. First she wanted a cat, an orange tabby. We talked her out of that, since her little sister is unpredictable. *Sorry, Simi*. You just don't know what a 2 year old will do to a cat.
Then she wanted a Rabbit, we said no. Then it was a Hamster or a Guinea Pig (Guinea Pig only because our neighbor's kids got one). We said no to that also.
Ok, so you ask, why are we saying no. Well, we need a low-maintenance pet. Something that doesn't require too much care. Something a 5 year old can handle, without too much adult intervention.
We finally settled on a goldfish. Yipeee! Until Diya realised something. She can't pet a goldfish!!!
In her words: 'Mama, I want a pet that I CAN PET'

*sigh*

Still here...

2007-04-17T14:08:00.000-04:00

Yes, its been a long time since I have posted. Didn't have anything to say, I guess. Or just plain lazy ;)
A lot has happened in the past month. Two milestones were made;
Diya is 5!!! My first born is now 5, a soon to be school going kid. Riding alone in the bus to school, sitting in a class with new faces, new teachers, new friendships to be made. *sniff* It's just too much for a mom to take. I just hope she makes the right decisions, hangs out with the right crowd, does well in school, etc, etc. This is only the beginning to a lifetime of learning.

And I turned 36!!! But, then again, age is just a number. It's how you look and feel that matters. I had a fun bday. Dinner with hubby, no kids around to yell at, to clean up after, nothing, nada. Just me and my darling, eating a yummy mexican dinner. It was just great. Plus, MIL made me lunch the next day, so spent quality time with family also. It was a nice, relaxing day. As my phone kept ringing with calls from friends and family, I realised that the most important thing I was thankful for were the people around me who cared and remembered trivial things as my bday.

So, this post ended up being sappy. Oh, well. It is an online diary of sorts..

A Different kind of First Dance

2007-03-02T09:24:00.000-05:00

On my morning drive to work, I heard the radio DJ talk about this couple and their unique First Dance (Youtube). I had to check it out and it is just awesome. This couple practised for this dance and did a really great job.
I was smiling the whole time I watched the video. Just tooo cute!

Check it out for yourselves:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYhlm9GTAQ0

I am a PIG

2007-02-17T11:19:00.000-05:00

Yes, I am a Pig. According to the Chinese Calendar that is.

'A person born in this year is likely to be a good parent. He may be easy to anger, but he is intelligent, honest, courageous, completes projects, gallant, and sincere. People born in these years are honest and straightforward. They can be relied on to see things through. They tend to be popular and make lasting friendship and are good neighbors.'

Yup, that is me :)

The year 2007 is the "Year of the Pig," according to the Chinese zodiac. But it's not an ordinary pig year, which comes every 12 years it is believed to be the "Year of the Golden Pig," which comes every 600 years, according to fortunetellers.

To find out what your Chinese sign is, check it out here

Yummy in my tummy

2007-02-14T10:52:00.000-05:00

I decided to start a new V day tradition in my house. Make goodies the night before to enjoy on V day. So last night, after all the chores were done. D and I started on a batch on mini cupcakes for her class. She was so exicted to help me put icing and the sprinkles on the cupcakes.

And while the cupcakes were baking, I decided to try making the girls' new favorite. Chocolate Dipped Strawberries!!!

Don't you feel like reaching out and grabbing one?? I have to say...they are just amazing!!! And so so so easy to make.

Rather than spend $2 a piece to enjoy store bought choc dipped strawberries, I spent $5 for a whole pint of home-made choc dipped strawberries. I combined several different recipes to come up with this. So, I can't take all the credit, but I can take the credit of making these yummy treats.

You will need:
1 pint fresh strawberries (with stems intact if possible)
6 ounces of Nestle Toll House Milk chocolate morsels (or any chocolate you like)

1. Prepare a plate with parchment paper to cool the chocolate dipped strawberries.

2. Wash the strawberries thoroughly. Put them to dry on a kitchen towel. Make sure they are completely dry before dipping them in the chocolate. I dried them for about an hour. Do the next step only when the strawberries are completely dry.

3. Microwave the choc morsels on 70% power for 1.5 minute. Keep a close eye on it, since chocolate can burn easily. Stir it and if it looks like it still needs to be melted, then put it back for 10 second intervals on 70% power, until you have a smooth paste. Note that the morsels retain their shape, although they are completely melted, thats why you need to keep stirring it between the 10 second intervals.

4. Dip the strawberries in the melted chocolate and then put them to dry on the parchment paper. I held the stems and dipped more than half the strawberry in the chocolate. Using a corn pick or a tiny fork also helps.

5. Put the chocolate covered strawberries in the fridge to cool for about an hour. You will know they are ready to eat when the chocolate looks set and is a little glazed.
Enjoy!!!!

I gobbled up 3 while making these. And I can't stop!!!
Next time I am using semi-sweet morsels and maybe dressing them up with some white chocolate.

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

V day is almost here!

2007-02-13T11:31:00.000-05:00

So, what are you planning to do for your loved one tomorrow? Flowers, chocolates, jewellery, etc? It is a fun day for all. I remember being in school and waiting excitedly to see who would I get a card from. Some years were a disappointment, some a pleasant surprise :)
Every year I get my hubby darling a card and some chocolates. This year, I plan to get him a box of Wegman's chocolates (Thanks to T for telling me) and myself some chocolate covered strawberries. What??? I love myself too :)
My kids are doing a card exchange at daycare. I am baking mini cupcakes for their friends....little cupcakes with pink frosting. I will take a picture if I can.
Tell me what you guys are planning to do, unless its a big secret, then tell me tomorrow.

Vicks and Vaseline

2007-02-06T08:26:00.000-05:00

Sunday night, I am getting Simi ready for bed. We are in her room reading books and the phone rings. It was my best friend calling to tell me she is pregnant! (Congrats, Soumya!) I chit-chat with her for 20 mins or so. Then head back to Simi's room to put her to bed.
OMG!!! The girl has put blobs of Vicks and Vaseline all over herself. In her hair, on her chest, on her face, everywhere!!! There are blobs of vaseline on the carpet. It was a mess. Such a mess.
And I had just given her a bath and put her in her pajamas.
Let me tell you that once you get that mixture all over you, its not coming off. Nothing will get it off. I had to wipe her down with towels, wipes, napkins. And she was still sticky, icky sticky!
Why did she do this? She thought she was helping me out. It is my bedtime ritual for her. I put some vaseline on her dry skin, and rub some Vicks on her chest to make her sleep better (when she has colds).
Oh, the joys of motherhood!

I hate head colds!

2007-01-31T09:40:00.000-05:00

I am sick at home since yesterday. I have a nasty head cold. Sinuses are congested. I feel like my head is covered in three layers of bubble wrap!!!
Oh and I had a drug reaction Monday night. I took Tylenol Cold before I went to bed and sometime in the night, I took Nyquil. I was in for a treat after that. I woke up every 30 minutes to puke green. It was horrible, horrible, horrible!!!
So, here I am sitting at home, trying to get some work done. How did I fall sick? It is probably from my co-workers who don't have the common sense to stay at home, no, they come to work, coughing and hacking and make the rest of us sick!!!!
Please, please stay at home when you are sick. No point in sharing the germs with your fellow workers.
Be back tomorrow with a better post, I hope.

To new opportunities

2007-01-29T08:27:00.000-05:00

I started the year off by asking my current manager to let me switch groups to a brand new group being formed. I am currently a Product Quality Assurance Test Engineer, simply put, a System Test Engineer.
The new group is called Development Integration Group. The scope is to work more closely with design team and make sure all the sub-systems work together flawlessly. It is still testing, but the focus is different. And it is a brand new concept in the company.
My current manager and Team Lead were not too happy to let go off me, but they had no choice, since this is my career. I make the switch first week of March. I am really looking forward to this change. I was bored of my current work. Same old stuff, day in, day out.
I hope this new opportunity brings me the change I am looking for.
Wish me luck!

Let it Snow...

2007-01-22T08:20:00.000-05:00

I woke up this morning to a beautiful sight. Snow!!! Yes, we have snow. It is just 1 inch of accumulation. But, its amazing. White on the trees, white on the rooftops, white on the roads. I just love it!!!
Now, we just need one good snow storm. Maybe 6 inches, on a Thursday evening, so that Friday no work, and then it is the weekend. I hope the person incharge of Snow is reading this blog :)
My older one is just craving to go out there and make a snowman. Come on, let it snow, let it snow......let it snow!

Happy New Year

2007-01-09T08:30:00.000-05:00

2006 is gone and 2007 is here.

Is it me or did the year just fly by? Lot happened in the past year. My little baby, turned 2 in December. My older one is almost 5. I was in Dubai and came back. Saddam was finally executed for his crimes. TomKat got married. They had a baby. Angelina and Brad had a baby. And most importantly, the long-awaited family reunion happened in December. I started planning for my family to be here in January 2006. All that excitement, build-up, looking for flight deals, everything, all over in 10 days.

I had a great time with my family here. Just relaxed, ate a lot, went to a lot of places, generally had a great time. But it was over too soon. I wish it could have lasted a bit longer. But, isn't this how vacations always are? Good times end too soon. (T, P and S, I know you are reading this. We have make this an annual event, doesn't have to be December, any time of the year is fine).

I made a few New Year resolutions and hopefully can keep up with them:
1. Work out regularly.
2. Eat healthy.
3. Blog more often (see this post shows I am working toward this :)
4. Don't fret over the little things in life.

I should be able to manage these, I hope ;)

Kabul Express

2006-12-16T10:32:00.000-05:00

I just watched an interview with John Abraham. So, the man is not only hot, he is smart and human-like. He was talking about his new movie, Kabul Express. It seems like a good movie, and I just loved hearing John talk about the movie. According to him, this movie touches the human factor of people, be it Indian, Afghani, Pakistani or American.
I am definitely watching this movie when it releases.
And then there is Baabul......if you want a good cry, go watch this movie. I have not seen it, but the trailer made me cry!!! I am not watching this one. Come on, this is the season to be happy, not sobbing!!!!

You wanted to see bees buzzing instead?

2006-12-04T14:42:00.000-05:00

A lawyer is suing Ash and Hrithik for the kiss scene in Dhoom 2. According to him, the bollywood actors are making it difficult to watch hindi movies, with their families. Come on! Just stop watching movies if it bothers you so much. Why sue someone over a perfectly good kiss :)

And this is not the first movie with a lip lock. There have been several others already.

I am sure this is the same person who goes out to rent porn movies. I dislike such people. Double standards.

Full story here

Friend For Sale

2006-11-29T16:15:00.000-05:00

I have decided to walk around with a 'Friend for Sale' sign. Why?
Well, all the stores are having good sales, plus 30% off with a Friends and Family coupon.
I am especially interested in the Gap coupon. I even asked the lady at the counter how I could get one, and she said 'its for Friends and Family only'.
So, since I cannot become a family member, I can become a Friend atleast, right?

Anyone of you know anyone who knows someone who knows someone else who works there? :)

Is it Christmas already????

2006-11-10T08:10:00.000-05:00

I walk into my local Starbucks for my morning Java, and it suddenly felt like December! They had Christmas music playing, handing out Peppermint Latte samples and Christmas decorations everywhere!
Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas Season. This time of the year is my favorite. But, it seems like every year, the Christmas decorations go up early. When I was shopping for Halloween candy, they had Christmas trees up!!!!
There is something called getting prepared, but this early?????? Seriously. Let's wait until Thanksgiving atleast.
And you know what else, as soon as Christmas is gone, they will be putting up those annoying pink hearts everywhere!!!

Need a new job?

2006-11-10T08:05:00.000-05:00

While discussing job conditions with a colleague, we started talking about the current websites out there for jobs, like monster.com, hotjobs.com, carerrbuilder.com....etc...etc....
And then we came up with some new ideas, like:

takemyjob.com
takemyjobandshoveit.com
doicare.com
justpayme.com

But, think about it, wouldn't it be nice to do a job swap with someone else? That way there is no burnout, no getting bored. And you are always guaranteed a job :)
Hmmmm....something to ponder about....

Who is the fool?

2006-11-02T11:03:00.000-05:00

Ok, taking Paresh's advice and putting my thoughts here, makes it a blog post :)

So, at work, my area of expertise is now taken over by someone else. Not assigned to him, but he has just taken it over!!! What I was known to be good at, he has taken it over. And very shamelessly. It annoys me. Coz, I sit at my office and I hear people asking him for help in the area. And I think to myself......is he the shameless fool? Or are the people who go to him, the bigger fools!!!
It just annoys me, coz I worked hard to set a place for myself, and then to have a newbie come in and push me aside!!!
It just annoys me!!!

Any insights? tips? advice? anything?

Fairies and Candy

2006-11-02T09:53:00.000-05:00

A lot of build up for one day, Halloween. I am still a little kid in some ways. I love the Disney Stories. And my favorite character? Tinkerbell :) So, you can guess, the girls were dressed up as Fairies. And I have to say, they looked so darn cute!!!! I will put up some more pictures later.

I bought Simi's costume. D's I put together, with different pieces. And it took a lot of time and effort, but it was all worth it. She tried it on the night before Halloween and absolutely loved it!!! Twirling around in the living room, flapping her wings and dancing like a little fairy. What a sight to see!!!

They had an awesome day. Parade and party at school. Party at my office. I bought them here for the party and they got to go around the offices, getting candy. And then trick or treating in the evening.

The weather was awesome, so it made it even better. I wish I had my video camera to capture the sight of three Power Rangers (neighbors' boys) and my two fairies, running in the night, with buckets overflowing with candy.
*Sniff* I am enjoying these moments, cause they don't last forever.

I have three buckets of candy at home. And my kids are loving it. Well, so are we. I am going to sort out the loot, keep the best at home, and bring the rest to work :)
Sach, Paresh and T, you might still get some when you come in Dec. Thats if anything is left ;)

So, here is my post, finally!!!! See you again after the next holiday....;)

Was it me????

2006-10-17T16:08:00.000-04:00

I know I have not posted in ages. Call it blogger's block :)
So, this happened just now and I had to share it. Happened in my office, while I am sitting at my desk. You had to be there....

Me: Cheeeeeeee (meaning Yuck)
Officemate: What happened? It wasn't me, was it?????????
Me: (Laughing so hard that I almost fall off the chair)
Officemate: What????
Me: No, it wasn't you. It was my fruit flavored, yucky tasting, disgusting water!!!!

Like I said, you had to be there :)

All I know, I learnt from my Mother

2006-10-04T08:34:00.000-04:00

Yes, another email post. But, I had to share it. It is hilarious, yet true.
I swore I would never say some of these things to my kids, but I already do!!! Top favorite being 'Because I said so'!!!

Enjoy!

1. My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE.
"If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning."

2. My mother taught me RELIGION.
"You better pray that will come out of the carpet."

3. My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL.
"If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!"

4. My mother taught me LOGIC.
" Because I said so, that's why."

5. My mother taught me MORE LOGIC
"If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me."

6. My mother taught me FORESIGHT.
"Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident."

7. My mother taught me IRONY
"Keep crying, and I'll give you something to cry about."

8. My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS.
"Shut your mouth and eat your supper."

9. My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM.
"Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!"

10. My mother taught me about STAMINA.
"You'll sit there until all that spinach is gone."

11. My mother taught me about WEATHER.
"This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it."

12. My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY.
"If I told you once, I've told you a million times. Don't exaggerate!"

13. My mother taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE.
"I brought you into this world, and I can take you out."

14. My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION.
"Stop acting like your father!"

15. My mother taught me about ENVY.
"There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do."

16. My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION.
"Just wait until we get home."

17. My mother taught me about RECEIVING.
"You are going to get it when you get home!"

18. My mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE.
"If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they are going to freeze that way."

19. My mother taught me ESP.
"Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you are cold?"

20. My mother taught me HUMOR.
"When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me."

21. My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT.
"If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up."

22. My mother taught me GENETICS.
"You're just like your father."

23. My mother taught me about my ROOTS.
"Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a barn?"

24. My mother taught me WISDOM.
"When you get to be my age, you'll understand."

25. And my favorite: My mother taught me about JUSTICE
"One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you!"

Simple Pleasures

2006-09-25T21:57:00.000-04:00

Been tagged by Tamanna for Simple Pleasures. So, here goes, in no particular order:

1. Hot fudge sundae, with whipped cream, nuts and a cherry. Some days this is my dinner. Hey, life is short, eat dessert first :)

2. Getting a bear hug from my kids.

3. Getting wet kisses from my kids. They love blowing raspberries on my cheek. Gross, yes, but, it is a delight.

4. Watching snow fall against the window.

5. Cuddled up under blankets in a thunderstorm.

6. Reading a book, when everyone else is asleep.

7. Being greeted at the door by my little one. She will drop whatever she is doing and meet me at the door, with a big smile on her face, yelling 'Mama, Mama!'. *Sigh* I will miss that the most when she grows up.

8. Sipping hot giner tea, with a slice of buttered toast. Especially when someone else makes it for you.

9. Hanging out with friends...sharing silly stories and a lot of laughter.

10. Being around my family. It is familiar territory. Anything and everything goes.

11. Playing pool. Yes, I have become an addict.

12. Last, but not the least, Fall weather. Something about the weather makes me cheery and happy. I love the crispness in the air in the early mornings. My absolute favorite time of the year.

Ovarily Yours

2006-09-21T08:59:00.000-04:00

I received this via emil from a friend and thought is was hilarious.
I had to share it.....enjoy!!!
And, you men out there, take some notes:)

"I recently noticed that the peel-off strip of my pantiliner had a
Bunch of "Kotex Tips for Life" on it. Annoying advice such as: Staying
active during your period can relieve cramps. Avoiding caffeine may
help reduce cramps and headaches. Drink 6-8 glasses of water a day
to keep you hydrated and feeling fresh.

Try Kotex blah blah blah other products...Obviously the individual
behind this was someone who has never possessed a functioning set of
ovaries. Go ahead and tell a menstruating woman that drinking 6-8
glasses of water will help keep her feelingfresh. Like we need more
fluid inside our bloated bodies from hell...but go ahead. See what
happens and report back. I'll wait.

While you're at it, dump out the coffee at work and remove the
Chocolate from the vending machine. I garan-friggin-tee that the first
responders will be females who just ovulated. This advice was from
brain function of a male....right???

Staying active will relieve headaches & cramps...well guess what,
the only activity that interests me is eating...and oh...does ripping
someone's head off count as a friggin activity?????

Look, females don't need or want tips for living on their feminine
hygiene products. Younger girls are already hearing "helpful" crap
like that from elderly relatives. Veteran females have already
concocted their own recipes for survival, many containing alcohol.

Printing out crappy advice while sneaking in ads for the brand that
was already purchased, is just plain annoying, not to mention rude, and
is enough to send a girl running to the Always brand. Mostly we'd
like to forget that we even need these products.

It's not a fun time, but DO NOT try to cheer us up by adding smiley
faces or bunnies or flowery cutesy crap to your products or the
packaging.
Put the shit in a plain brown wrapper so we can throw it in our carts
discreetly and have it blend in among the wine and beer.

There is nothing more annoying than having a blinding pink package
announcing your uterine state to everyone in the store. Why don't ya
just add an instore microphone to the damn package & announce
that...helloooo, another female in the store is on the rag!!!!!

So take your tips for living and your cute bunnies & the smiley
faces that need to be smacked hard, and shove them right up your ass.

Ovarily Yours"

Kudos to the Pampers Commercial!!

2006-09-13T09:48:00.000-04:00

So, I was watching TV yesterday evening, with both my kids sitting next to me. And a Pampers commercial comes on. This baby is jumping, twirling around, everything possible. And both my kids are watching very intently. When the commercial is over, D turns to me and says 'Mama, can you buy that diaper for S'. I could have sworn she was going to say 'Mama, can you buy that diaper for me'!!!.
Now if she had said that, I would have sent Pampers a kudos letter, saying your commercial makes my 4.5 year old want to wear diapers again :)