Sr. R update

This space is my comfort zone. Not many in my day to day circle know that I blog, and I hope it remains that way. As long as I'm not discussing what I wrote here in personal life, I'm fine. I need this space and that space to be separate, for my sanity.

The last I posted about the kids was in my new year post. 

So let's begin with 2019.....

At the beginning of this year, the daughter was in 2nd grade, and she had an easy year, and a mellow teacher. I had some concerns with her progress, but in hindsight, as I write this today, I am SO glad she had the year she did. Her teacher was very kind and loving, a bit forgetful and not on top of things all the time, but it was only 2nd grade....the daughter had the best year socially and emotionally. 

She loved playing basketball through spring, continued her swim/kathak/keyboard lessons, and spent a part of her summer break at our local gym, where they learnt so many new games, sports skills, team building aspects, and in general, had an active TV free time. It was her first summer break going to a proper summer camp, and I'd say it was pretty good. 

We took the kids to Yosemite during Spring break. If you ever want to visit this gorgeous paradise on earth, early Spring is THE BEST time. The waterfalls are at their roaring best, there is greenery all around, and there are far less crowds than summer/fall time. We had booked a heated cabin right in the valley, under half dome - we were 7 people in one cabin, and we had the best time at the perfect location. 

The mist trail in Yosemite is the most popular trail - the hike starts at the Happy Isles Trail head, climbs up to Vernal Falls, then Nevada Falls, and then continues to the iconic Half Dome. We took the kids all the way upto Nevada Falls - I was very proud of them because its a tough trail, misty (that's how it gets its name) with patches of snow when we went, and quite a bit of elevation gain. The kids were champs!!

The next day, we took up another challenging trail to upper Yosemite falls - we couldn't go all the way to the top as its a pretty long and tough hike, but we climbed enough to get fantastic views and a great workout. 

We also went to Bridalveil falls where we all got drenched while soaking in the beauty and the roar - these falls have a very small window during the year where they are full, and we went at the perfect time to experience it. 

When I came to US in Jan 2000, Yosemite was the first national park I visited during Spring break of 2000, and I did the mist trail to Nevada Falls back then for the first time. It was a nostalgic and memorable trip for me this time, being able to experience it again with the kids and husband after all these years. 

In July, we took another road trip to the Pacific North West, driving from Folsom to Vancouver through central Oregon and Washington, and covering the Oregon Pacific coast on the way back. I will do a separate post on it, but it was SO BREATHTAKING and memorable. This was our third national park road trip in a row, having done Death Valley and Zion last November during Thanksgiving break. It's a bit more work for husband n I to plan and execute these trips, but these are the kinds of experiences I dig and cherish, so the extra effort is worth it. 

In August, kids started the new academic year. For the first time, they are now at the same school so one pickup and one drop-off for us HURRAY!! 

The daughter has a Gujarati teacher (Ms. Patel) this year....she was pretty excited to be in her class. She's been okay so far - I won't write much here as this is a public domain, but it's going to be an interesting year for me as a parent. But school is school, and she is only in 3rd grade, and I try not to take too much stress about academics at this point.

She took a break from soccer last year but is back at it this year. She's not great at it, but I love that soccer forces us to get outdoors on the field three times a week, and gives her much needed outdoor exercise as well as team playing skills. She continues her swim (she is at comp level), she did competitive basketball tryouts and got selected so basketball comp training just started this past Sunday, and she also started vocal singing lessons with her brother. We've taken a break from Kathak as we tried 2 teachers so far, and both got pregnant and stopped teaching. At this point, there is no activity other than soccer that I have to drive them separately for, and that has been a big blessing for us in terms of logistics. 

Arts, Sciences and Sports are the three top things she loves. Although she says she is not fond of dancing, after every performance on stage, she asks me when is the next one? The social aspect of hanging out with girlfriends, listening to new songs and learning a choreographed routine brings joy to her....

She is also a big foodie, and given a choice, would spend all her free (or busy ;)) time in the kitchen. She loves chopping vegetables, running the juicer, adding spices to curries that we cook - I want to take her interest to the next level in 2020 and teach her a few basic recipes that she can independently cook. Her top choice is brownies :). But we will add in some healthy items too. 

Oh, she is also now into Harry Potter. We are taking it slowly, she is yet to watch the movies, but she has the entire set, and will slowly finish it. We are going to London next summer, so Potter world is on the list to visit for her. I can't wait for her brother to join her in a year or so.....and we will become Potter maniac household for few years. 

By the grace of God and blessings of everyone around us, she is growing up happy and healthy!!

Snow Day

After loaning out our snow gear to several families in December, we were finally able to enjoy a Snow Day for our family.

We wanted to snow board and get the kids an instructor, but due to peak holiday season, the resort had no openings all week.

So we did what we've been doing last few years - snow tubing and sledding down the hill. We picked a resort vs parking on the side of the road and going at it ourselves....and it worked out perfect!!

The weather makes a huge difference when it comes to enjoying snow and cold weather - we managed to pick a sunny warm day, just before the storm on weekend which closed down all major highways through the Sierras. And we are lucky that we live 90 mins from the mountains, so our Snow Day plans are always last minute, after checking the weather and road conditions!

The pretty drive through the Sierras on the way to South Lake Tahoe....

The resort area had a picnic area with benches, which really helped my friend and her mom who are not very mobile at this point due to health issues. We had packed a picnic lunch of sandwiches and snacks, and a gingerbread chocolate bar which my kids were very excited to try (they loved it).

We started out with snow tubing, and I couldn't get any pictures or videos as the kids were going very fast.

The daughter took a break and built these 4 small snow men near our picnic benches.

After tubing, we switched to sledding...and all of us took turns sledding down the hill. Its my favorite part of snow days, the thrill and adrenaline rush is amazing.

We ended our day with the kids and their daddy in a snowball fight.....thank goodness for puffy ski pants and jackets which provided much needed protection :)

And finally a family picture to end the day!!

Hope to make it back on the slopes for snow boarding later this year....the kids were very excited to try it out!

Have you been to the snow lately?

Back from vacation....

Me to Daughter: "What did you enjoy the most in UK?"
Daughter: "Spending time with family" :).

We returned last night from our UK trip. We have family based in London, and friends all over UK....and we had an amazing time out there. I am going to miss the superb London public transport system a lot. I fell in love with it.

The trip has changed all of us. The kids loved mimicking the British accent throughout their trip. We were fortunate enough to not experience any sort of racism out there. In fact, I found the people much better (polite, respectful, well dressed, well mannered) than the US. Whether it was traveling during peak hours on the tube, or taking long distance trains, we found ourselves taken care of very well. The kids were always offered a seat, and most people volunteered to move around (without being asked) to provide adjoining seats to us.

The weather was simply beautiful throughout the month of June. We got a few showers here and there, but frankly, coming from a dry, drought-ridden California, the rains were very welcome. I couldn't get enough of the green fields and parks and forests. Again, it was in stark contrast to the browns here in California.

We didn't dine out much, but I got to explore the local markets and made a lot of meals at home. Beans on toast has become a favorite of the kids. The cheese selection in UK is outstanding. Coffee was always good (much better than US), and I loved that we always got fresh milk and brown sugar (mostly fair trade) to add to our coffee or tea. Water is also served at room temperature. These are simple things, but water with ice and sugar laden drinks are a big turn off for me in the states.

We spent an entire week on the coast in Wales. Our friend A grew up there, and he hosted us during our stay in Pembrokeshire Coastal National Park. I am sure I will write a lot more posts about our time in Wales, but in a nutshell, that place is a wonderland. It has pristine beaches, lush green mountains, an amazing coastal walking path that would take several months to explore, tidepools, rock arches, wild life, dairy farms, lambs and cows, beaches to see the sunrise as well as sunset, and so much more. And when you have someone who grew up there to take you around, you see the place through their eyes, through their experience, through the local lens - and that is the BEST way to experience it! We also met A's family - his 76 year old mum (who is adorable), his sister and her family, and their pets. The kids couldn't get enough of the beach, and we came back with loads of sea shells and a heart full of happy memories from that trip.

Brexit happened while we were there, and we also attended a memorial of an MP who was shot down during our trip.

As and when I get a chance to upload pictures, I will write more.

As of now, we are jetlagged, but very happy to be home. The kids missed their bed, their toys, the garden, and that sense of belonging in this home and town that they've been since birth!

A moment of McQueen happiness....

Whenever I travel for work, the kids ask me to bring them back something. It's usually something very small, sometimes just a chocolate chip cookie for both, but however small the gift, it's the thought that their mommy missed them, and brought something for them, that they care about.

Until last year, I would never discuss my travel plans with them. It upset them quite a bit, knowing I would not come home from work at night. But starting this year, I tell them way in advance where I'm going.

I traveled to Arizona this week, and the son kept asking me to bring him a McQueen T-shirt. He's been asking for it since days, and I decided to order a 3-pack from Amazon before I left so that it would arrive (hurray, 2-day prime shipping) by the time I returned from Arizona.

The day I got back, I got a call from his preschool right around lunch that he had a fever, so I picked him up and brought him home. Just as I was settling him in bed for a nap, the doorbell rang, and I told him his t-shirts would have arrived. He said did u bring them from Arizona? I said I ordered them from Arizona and they came in the brown truck. To say he was delighted and thrilled to see and wear them is an understatement. He must have said "thank you mamma" zillions of times, and so many other feel good statements. He was so excited that he could not sleep until 4pm, and was wearing a huge grin on his face all afternoon long.

He's home today with me, down with fever, but you can hardly tell he's sick. He LOVES spending time with me at home, especially when his sister is in school, coz then he gets undivided attention. He's sporting another one of his McQueen T-shirts today....and he is very, very happy.

Money can't buy everything, but if a cheap $5 t-shirt can bring my sick son several days of happiness, it sure is worth it.

It's been a fever filled week, so I'm ready for the tide to turn now. The daughter had fever since Saturday, and she missed school for 2 days while I was gone. Now the son is down, and our beloved nephew is down with fever as well. On one hand, these are routine common illnesses which go away soon, so I'm really grateful for that. On the other hand though, it takes a toll on us parents when both are full time professionals, and we don't have any family to help us during such times.

Hoping for a healthy weekend....

Happy New Year 2016

Hello Hello!!!

Wishing you all a VERY Happy New Year!!!

How were the holidays? Hope you all enjoyed some quality family time, and/or had time for yourself. I know some of you took vacations and I hope your travels were fun.

Sorry for the disappearing act last month. I was hoping to write a lot more than I did, but for some reason, whenever I sat to pen down things, I lost my motivation to write. I just wanted to read, read, read and so that's pretty much what I did during all my spare time.

We took a week long vacation to the Palm Desert in Southern California. From hiking in the snow at an altitude of 9000 feet with snow gear and a sled, to off-roading in a hummer at Joshua Tree National Park, we had a grand time. Throughout our trip, I never got tired of the 100's of windmills on I-10, always tuned to the winds, churning slowly, all day and all night long. The sunsets were fantastic as well. I fell in love with this area.

We were fortunate and were able to stay out of most touristy areas during our trip. We had rented a private condo, so we stayed out of the resorts. We also made most of our meals at home, so avoided the crowded restaurant scene. We saw lots of Christmas lights, met extended family, and even spent an awesome quiet but educational day at the local Children's museum.

The kids and I spent a few days after our trip at my sister's house, getting pampered by my parents. My mom cooked, cooked and cooked. We ate and slept, on repeat, during our time with them. She also cooked loads of stuff for us to freeze before she left for India last week. Mum is my star, and whenever I get lazy around the kitchen, one thought about her brings me back to action.

After my parents left for India on the 31st, we met loads of friends in the bay area. Conversations, dining out, games, coffee outings - it was a different kind of fun and relaxation.

When we returned home after 2 weeks, it didn't feel that we were very much in California the entire time. It felt we had traveled several countries and met so many people. We saw snow, rain, desert, new vegetation, Joshua trees, loads of cacti, windmills, tons of airplanes at the Air Museum near SF, rolling green hills and cloud covered vistas during our drives....and so much more. Nature truly treated us this time, and I am very grateful for that.

Our local friends waited for us to celebrate the new year, so once we returned, we partied with them and caught up. Here are a couple of pictures from the party....the kids' gang and a family portrait...

I gifted myself a "kindle unlimited" subscription for my birthday in November, and since then, I've read atleast 30 books, if not more. I stayed up on most nights after the kids slept to read, and after ages, I felt satiated on that front.

The kids are back in school, and I am back at work as of this morning. We are rested, and relaxed, and are looking forward to a couple weeks of solid rain and snow in NorCal. We have more outings planned for later this month and then again in Feb, and I can't wait for summer when I have 2.5 months off this - Sabbatical - can't wait to start planning it!!

What are your 2016 plans :)? I'm listening!!

Memorial Day weekend trip

It's been a while I posted here....

We are all doing well. Great actually. The kids are at a stage where they play with each other ALL the time. From the moment they wake up to the time they sleep, they revel in each other's company. I can now relate to my friends and neighbors who always told us that 2 years apart is a great sibling age gap.

Our friend A has been renting a place in the redwood forest near Santa Cruz area since February of this year. And we have visited him three times already. He has a garage-converted-into-a-studio, right in the middle of redwoods. It's a short hike away from an excellent play ground for the kids, and about 15 mins away from the beach and many state parks.

The owner of this place, who lives next door, has a daughter and son our kids ages. Right from the first time we met them, the kids hit it off. They love bouncing together in the huge trampoline under the redwoods....

They love to chat, do crafts, play games - they immensely enjoy each other's company....

Every time we've been up there, including last weekend, we have been blessed with good weather, which makes our beach outings a ton of fun.

Whether its building sand castles, flying kites, playing ball with daddy, or paddling the waves.....the ocean always works its magic on all of us.

When we are not beaching, we are walking in the woods. The redwoods are simply amazing. The forest is always lush green, shaded and temperature controlled, and never fails to rejuvenate me with its therapeutic properties. The redwoods stand tall, each telling us a story.

During our walks, we can hear the loud squeaks of the Acorn woodpecker or the harsh sounds from the Steller's Jay. The banana slugs, when spotted by the kids, bring us to a standstill. The slugs move oh-so-slowly and the kids are fascinated by them.

Last weekend, we walked 3+ miles in the forest. To make it more fun, we did races on the trail. We sang songs. We learnt about the flora and fauna. We stopped at the Redwood grove for lunch. And we stopped by the visitor's center to view the exhibits.

The kids love climbing and jumping off of fallen tree trunks.

It is a true Shinrin-yoku experience - breathe....relax....wander....touch....listen....heal!!!!

And we can't wait to visit again :)!

Post 9 - A visit to the zoo

This conversation happened on our way to the San Diego zoo:

Her: Mom, are the animals going to be pretend or real?
Me: Real beta.
Her: Why?
Me: The animals are caged. So you are safe. They are there for you to visit, observe and learn.
Her: Why are they all caged mumma? Is zoo their real house?
Me: {starting to get uncomfortable about the whole visit coz I hate zoos anyway}. No baby. The jungle is their real home. But some animals are brought from the jungle to the zoo. So all of us can visit and learn about them in a safe environment.
Her: Mumma, will there be a lion?
Me: Yes.
Her: Can I pat the lion?
Me: No.
Her: Why? you said it's safe?
Me: The lion will be in a cage. He is dangerous and you cannot go near him. You can say hello from far away.

We moved on to talk about polar bears and pandas and elephants.

The kids had a good time, in general. We got lucky and got front row seats on top of the double-decker bus during the zoo tour. We could see polar bears, grizzly bears, elephants, giraffes, Hippos, etc very clearly. We walked quite a bit as well, and were lucky to observe a Jaguar feeding session.

Within a few hours, the kids has seen and learnt whatever they could, they were exhausted, and slept peacefully in their car seats on our way home.

All said and done, I'm not sure if I can ever love going to the zoo. I simply don't like it. During the entire day, my only moments of peace came while we were walking as a family along a trail covered with bamboo trees....no cages around and very few people too. Rest of the time, I can say I was uncomfortable from within, and did my best to hide it from the kids.

I value freedom very dearly. And the reality of a zoo is that very freedom is taken away from these animals. Even though some species are endangered (like the Panda) and the zoos are doing their bit in the conversation space, the animals are still held captive. They might be taken care of and fed well, so physically they might be okay. But what about their emotional well being?

And about kids learning, even that can be done by watching documentaries/shows that are filmed in the wild. It can be done by taking the kids to visit National Parks and Safaris. When we visited Denali National Park in Alaska, I remember the bus driver's comment: "Everywhere else, the animals are caged and you are free. Here, we drive you around in a cage (bus) to see the animals roaming freely in their natural habitat." And honestly, that bus trip was totally zen-like. One of my best trips ever.

So, what do you think?

Here's a picture of the kiddos at the zoo :)!

Post #300

Last year, on this day, I was lugging around a 40-week pregnant belly (yep, my due date was 9/9), wondering why this baby was making me wait soooooooo much (especially after the doctor had confidently told me the baby will be early)!. My curiosity about having a son or daughter was at its peak, and I was also very anxious about the whole labor and delivery process, along with establishing a good breastfeeding relationship with this new baby.

Well, he arrived just a few days later (we are celebrating his first birthday this week :)), labor was tough but I had an amazing birth experience, and he was a champ at nursing. I could not have asked for more, and I'm very grateful!

This year has been a learning experience for us. It has been the toughest on the daughter - she loves him, she hates him, she really has a lot of conflicting and uncertain emotions running through her. We have been mostly patient, understanding, and sensitive - but there have been times (more often than I would have liked) when we have had to be strict and discipline her.

Overall, though, however it happened, I'm glad she got a sibling. I cannot think of even one moment where I have felt that this was a bad idea, for any of us.

And the baby - well, he has stayed true to his name - the ever peaceful one. He is the calm in our everyday stormy life. He patiently bears all the tantrums, whining, and hitting from his big sister. If and when he expresses his angry or frustrated emotions,we know that things have gone beyond a certain limit - and we can't help but melt away and simply cuddle him and hug him tight - he's a true man in that sense, very very strong from outside, but a softie from within.

She is my drama queen and he is my warrior of peace!

This last weekend - they were both sick. The daughter came home from school with 103.5F fever, and the son came down with a stomach bug. We don't have parents right now with us (although they are coming back for his birthday this week - yay :)), but thanks to our friend A, we got by. It was not easy, but it was alright. They are better now, and I hope they stay that way.

I was looking through a few saved drafts this past weekend, and realized this would be Post #300. So I had to pen down a new, latest one. 300 posts - WOW! I never thought I would get here any day. It's been so effortless. I only write when I really feel like it (except for the marathon I did as a challenge), and I have also managed to keep this place hidden from most of the people I interact with in real life.

I cannot stand all the attention most bloggers seek on every little thing they write (nothing wrong with it, just not my cup of coffee :P). I also do not like to take part in contests, or publicize my posts on social media. I often wonder about the privacy aspects of putting up pictures of my kids online, and sharing my life....but so far, except for one instance when a person I knew was stalking me, I have not felt the need to stop sharing here.

Hubby's 6-week bonding leave comes to an end tomorrow. He now truly appreciates the role of home-makers who tirelessly work day and night to keep the house running and keep the family well fed and happy. I hope he values the lessons he learnt as they were invaluable. This time given to him to just be home with the son was truly a gift.

Over the labor day long weekend, I made a last minute plan to go to the Sonoma Coast. I got hotel reservations right by the bay for one night, and also managed to take a friend and her lovely family along with us. We had a blast - we spent time at the beach on both days (even though the Pacific was COLD, the sand was warm)....kids made sand castles, flew kites, fed the birds, ran around, had FUN! On our evening walk, we spotted seals and dolphins. We saw lots of ranches with cows and sheep on the way. We saw beautiful vistas along HWY1, on a stretch I had not explored before - I returned home so happy and content. On the drive back, we saw gorgeous double rainbows (end to end) in the fields by the freeway.

The son had his first minor fall (from the hotel bed) and got a bruise. His ped said "oh it was a matter of when, not if" when we went for a follow-up. The daughter got lost for a few minutes when she was pretending to hide and we could not find her. I went to the jacuzzi at night, only to be called 5 mins later by the hubby who could not put either kid to bed - haha. So the trip was eventful as well :)!

So that's pretty much a snapshot of what's going on at my end. How about you? Anything fun happening in your lives?

Ending the post with some pictures....hope you like them :)

 

UBM Post 9 - Landscapes

Some of the landscapes from our long weekend trip to the Eastern Sierras and Yosemite National Park (raw images straight out the camera, no edits done).

Drive along Hwy 395 - love the green hills compared to the brown in Folsom area.

Lots of ranches on the way, and cattle grazing....

Mono Lake - Tufa's...

Convict Lake

Devil's Postpile National Monument - a geological wonder

Rainbow Falls

June Lake - spot the kite surfer :)

Drive back to Mammoth Lakes from June Lake loop

Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite

Tenaya Lake, Yosemite

Olmstead Point, Yosemite

View of Half Dome from Olmstead Point, Yosemite

View of Tenaya Lake from Olmstead Point, Yosemite

Moccasin Point, Don Pedro Reservoir

Drive back home on Hwy 49....

Sunset, Hwy 49...

The return of the brown hills....Latrobe Road, close to Folsom.

Did you like them :)?