Wrap up 2011

Another year bites the dust ...and I am neither sad nor glad. I just want the year end holiday to come so I can put up my feet and drink my chai in peace ;)

So this has been a busy year, with the kids, new job and new school. The first quarter of the year seemed to have gone by pretty well, not much to complain about, the kids were home with the Nanny and though I wasn't happy in my job, I had one and I was ok with that. Then things changed in April. My then boss became very rude and mean, his way of trying to save his a$$ and I started hating my job, my blood pressure sky rocketed and I was very nervous all the time. G took things in his hands then and before I could wink, he was working on my resume and talking to his contacts for a job for me. I cannot thank him enough for encouraging me to take this big step, for now I work closer to home, the work hours are better and the stress is manageable.
The new job has also help me evaluate myself as a professional, programmer, co-worker and employee. And I have arrived at the conclusion that I can be a more friendly co-worker. I am a very professional employee and very conscientious. If I miss hours because my baby was sick, I will make up for it. As for programmer, I am really good at what I know and good at learning, but I don't often learn new things willingly, which is primarily due to lack of time and I would do good to learn more. What I am most happy to report is that within 2 weeks of being in my new job, my new Boss was more than confident in my abilities and would often boast to our PM that I can knock off tasks and defects very quickly. That was very confident boosting to hear :)
What's changed this year and I have spoken alot about is the kids going to school. Which is going very well thank you, except of course the occasional ear infection, bronchitis, perennial cough and cold. But, still a good time.
My Mom and G's Mom visited us. We had a great time with both. And then the family made a trip to Iowa and Minnesota. It was the first flight for N and all of us as a family. It was a blast, kids were both well behaved and happy. I don't think the other passengers had anything to complain about either . HEHE. It was a great vacation, our only this year, and all the kids had a blast.
India won the World cup and Mavs are the NBA Champions, what a dream year right?!
The kids have become toddlers now, they have opinions and demands. Demands which G and I don't understand sometimes and sometimes pretend we don't understand. Our kids were never into TV, but the bronchitis and  hence the nebulizer prompted us to start showing 'Barney' to the kids. And now there is no turning back. I am hoping this is a phase and that they will soon outgrow it. Yeah right! Who am I kidding?

The kids are now talking in third person. M wants, N also says M wants when he wants something. Cute.
They have taken to telling us who an object belongs to..'Papa', 'Mummy', 'Dodo', 'M','N'. Always and constantly. Annoying!

2011 has been a great year, we have had ups and downs, highs and lows, but I wouldn't give up any of that, or trade any of it. I love my family and my life. I would love to be a thinner, smarter and more patient, but I wouldn't wish for a different family or set of friends. Thank you all for reading (if you were i.e.) and here's wishing us all a Great and Fabulous New year 2012!

Romance is in the air

No..not what you are thinking. I am talking about the books I have been reading. Yeah..duh! That other kind of romance is always in the air ;)

So well..lately I only want to read romance novels and mind you no period romances, those I hate with a vengeance. It's hard for me to image those Victorian Greek lords and damsels in distresses. It just seems like a world that didn't really exist, except for in books.
So my cuppa tea is - contemporary romance. I prefer that so much more, in a modern setting, with references to stuff I am familiar with. Here's my not-so-long list:
1. I loved Julie James, I have now read all her published work:

- A lot like love
- Something about you
- Practice makes perfect
- Just the sexiest man alive

2. Susan Mallery - I have read 3 of her books and I am convinced she is a good romance writer.
- Finding perfect
- Tempting
-Chasing perfect.

I also like contemporary Indian writers. I really like books about Immigrants and their kids. Which is why Jhumpa Lahiri is a favorite. I really like Amulya Malladi. Recently read 'Season of mangoes' and I thought it was well written.

Are there any contemporary fiction authors you like?

Love

Although Valentine's day has never meant much to me, other than admiring the red and pink stuff all around, I just thought of the perfect gift for my hubby dear.
Embarrass him by writing about him! If that is not true love then what is?

I love that if you wake up before me, you will get the coffee and the breakfast started, knowing how much I like a hot breakfast on weekends.

I always sleep off watching a show we both like, you are generous and thoughtful enough to not finish watching the show, knowing I will 100% never get around to watching the show if you've already seen it.

On the matter of TV, you watch all the shows you hate but I love with me, I on the other hand..umm..am not so cooperative.

You know I never buy a cookie with my lunch sandwich, so once in a while, you'll buy one and save it to share with me in the evening.

Knowing how much I love flowers, but don't have a green thumb, you'll buy me flowers when you go grocery shopping.

The poopy diapers are always your department.

I have to never set the toilet seat. So I don't know what the battle is with other spouses.

You will eat whatever I make, if you don't like it enough, you will not complain then, maybe later. It saves a fight :)

You always take the trash out!

You are always optimistic, it makes me calmer.

Of course you have annoying habits as well, but those don't count (right now ;) )
Love you to bits and the things you do...

M

Foodie talk

I was reading a blog and I just took up a tag.
So one has to basically list five memorable meals ever eaten: It could be anything that makes the meal memorable – the food, the place, the place you were in your life when you ate, the company, the weather, the ambiance – heck, the guy who served the food!”.

So, the oldest and fondest food memory has to be from home. Right? So it is of my mom making poha and halwa for Sunday breakfast. I just loved loved it and I could eat boat loads of it. We would sit on the carpet infront of the TV and eat watching Ramayan/Mahabharat and then we would all happily take a nap.

Once, my parents had gone out of the city and we were staying with family friends. The Auntie was known to make funny combination of food. Now she knew I loved Pumpkin Sabzee. So she made dal, rice and pumpkin sabzee. I had never had this combination..but to this day, I am smitten. I absolutely LOVE it and every time I or Mom make it we think of Auntie and smile :) I even remember that we were sitting on their terrace and having lunch. it was just so special and sweet :)

Next is a memory of the times I spent in Jabalpur, food being a major thing with most of us :D Shalu and I would go to this restaurant called 'Traffic Jam' and we would do TP over cold coffee with ice cream. That used to be fun. And also the cutlets @ 'Indian Coffee House'. ummmm :D And how can I forget the bread-omelet Rahul and Rajat made me eat @ Itarsi enroute to Bhopal. That was just awesome, none of us slept that night, we just talked our way into the morning :)

And then I landed in the US. So many food memories with UTA and Arlington. I think the most prominent ones are the loads of chai we would drink so we wouldn't fall asleep and instead study. There was always a 'discussion' as to who the chai maker would be, Mudi would never make it but he made the best tea, followed by Sameer. While the tea lasted the gossip session would last and many a times, we would all go to sleep right after having the tea . hahaha. The other is the very elaborate Dinner my roomies and friends would have. We would have cooking turns and if we had enough time, we'd make some nice stuff for dinner (nice = chole/rajma or sauj's gujju delicacies). We would all gather, Anurag was mostly there, he would get his own food unless it was something special, and we would all sit on the floor on newspapers and eat and talk and just be happy. Of course we had to watch a movie after that, so we'd all catch a little bit of a movie, i would take some shut eye during the movie and then rush off to the lab or in my room to study :)

How can I not have a memory of my non-bawarchi hubby :D So G doesn't cook much, but one thing he does do very well is make Omelet. So Saturday mornings are G's mornings to make us a super big Omelet and cold coffee and we'll sit and watch a movie and gorge on the eggy delight. It's super cool coz it reminds me of home, since i'll push the plate aside and take a little nap after the sumptuous breakfast :)

There are many more...like when Mom would start preparing the festival delicacies, we would wait around the kitchen wishing her to get the first batch out so we could taste some, Mom asking us to make Chinese for her, coz she loves it and loves it when we make it for her. Fighting with Dad on how much sugar there should be in halwa, there is no one who makes better halwa than him, absolutely no one. Making chai for V Uncle and sitting around to get compliments from him :) The first time I cooked for G, the first time he made dal...so many more firsts and so many more memories to make :)

O, this was a fun fun tag! Anyone who wants to should take it up. Anu Russell you are definitely tagged and Akansha. Coz I know both of you are foodies and it'll be nice to know your food memories.

This has made me so hungry, time for some tapioca pudding :D

He n I n them

So G n I are not 2 peas in a pod, as my romantic brain would like to believe ;) Well not really, we'd get sick of each other and all that..

So here's why:
G doesn't like to keep the back door open, he thinks it's an invite to the reptile and insect world (which it is, during twilight only)!. Then we live in the airport zone, so there is some disturbance coz of the flying beasts (which it is, but can't you talk over the planes or wait a few seconds and talk?).
He doesn't like to sit in the patio and drink chai or have breakfast coz of the planes.
Well, he doesn't like chai!
He doesn't like the rain or getting wet in it. (Why else does it rain??)

And then there are things we both like to do:
Not go shopping.
Go to a cafe.
Go to Barnes and Noble.
Read books.
Watch TV
Play Guitar Hero.
Water!!!
Harry Potter!

So here's what I am getting at. I cannot wait for my babies to come and over power Gourav. (hehehe). I will make them love the rain and stand outside with me and dance in it, have breakfast and morning milk outside and keep the door open. We will all go swimming (of course G says, their Mom is not a swimmer, but i can flip around), watch movies, read, play and finally go to Universal Studios Harry Potter park and get lost!!!!!!

O When will they be 1.5?