An Award and a Tag

I have been awarded the Versatile Blogger award by Nancy from Reflections.
Thanks a lot Nancy. It is indeed precious coz this is the first time that I have been given an award. So another round of hugs to you Nancy.
Now before I get to carried away in my pyaar let me lay out the rules for the tag.

The rules of this tag:


 Add the Versatile Blogger Award picture to your Blog Post

 Thank the Blogger who nominated you

 Share 7 Random things about yourself

 Nominate 15 fellow Bloggers

 Inform the Bloggers of their nomination

Now to share 7 random things about myself.

1) I started doing Zumba recently. The newly gained pounds while in India was motivation enough and then the love to dance. So along with a few other girls from the apartment we have started this routine for 45 mins Mon to Thu. Hopeful to get back in shape soon

2) Yesterday was my nephew's 4th birthday. I baked some cupcakes as I had done for his 1st birthday. For his 2nd birthday he was here with us in the US and hence we could celebrate it grandly. For this 3rd birthday we had been to Hawaii and hence no cake was prepared. The cupcakes did come out very moist and spongy. Also got a new cupcake baking tray and now want to try out all different combinations of cupcakes

3)I love mangoes and so does my son. He can devour a whole mango by himself, hence what I do is cut pieces for him but try to keep more pulp near the seed and then devour the seed by myself. Cunning ain't I?? Oh, hubby does not get a single piece. I am mean in sharing good food

4) I finally won a giveaway. It is a beautiful necklace and am eagerly awaiting for it to be delivered. Will post  pictures once I receive it.

5)I got some new cookware and cutlery and glasses. Interest in cooking has now resurfaced. We even got a new plate set for Ritvik (Toy Story theme)

6) I wish I could work from home and not drive to office everyday.

7) Every Friday is swimming day. Initially when I started it was as if tsunami is arriving with water splashing all over the pool but since last week I am trying to be subtle and doing good so far.

Now to nominate 15 bloggers. I do not know so many so will nominatethe ones I read often
http://memoirsofria.blogspot.com/

http://smilethesmile.blogspot.com/

http://deepa-duraisamy.blogspot.com/

http://mytumblingthoughts.blogspot.com/

http://readingthroughrsmind.wordpress.com/

Happy Birthday Parthu

Wishing you a very Happy birthday Dear Nephew.
I can still remember that Saturday morning, 4 years back when I held you in my arms for the first time. You have grown up to be a smart, very naughty kid.
Love u.......muaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah

2011 - The Year that Was!

January - Welcomed the new year by visiting a pub with friends, which we had not done for quite some time now. Did a lot of gym to reduce weight to look good in clothes that I would wear @Hawaii. Went for a week vacation to Hawaii. Started watching Prison Break and got addicted to it, would wait to arrive from office and get glued to the laptop.

February - Enjoying so called honeymoon  period with baby in India. Went snow tubing, still addicted to English sitcoms. Decided to quit TCS after 7 long years. Started job hunting and preparing for interviews. Did not get any call for the first 2 weeks but finally something clicked and got a confirmation by Feb end.

March - Applied for Premium processing for H1 visa. Anxiety if it would come in the 2 weeks time. Finally got H1 done. Joined new office. Sad about leaving old client.
Went to the casino and Gopis name was called in a lucky draw- he won $1000 Mystic Cash

April - Not liking new office, neither the commute, getting acquainted with everything and everyone, baby is back, excited to hold him in my arms after a long time, happy to hear him call me 'Amma'

May - Hectic month, bday came and went just like that,had gone to temple on bday, hubby got a ticket for speeding. Had to manage work pressure, home cooking 3 times for FIL, adjusting to baby's needs, sleepless nights, started baby in day-care, he kept crying(heart-breaks),managed to get through.

June - Baby settled in day-care, me settled in office, F-I-L left, a little less hectic, baby adjusted well here, Officially summer is here. Going out in the evenings, Ritvik making new friends and so did we.

July - Me & Baby managed to get viral infection, no one to take care, felt better to go to India, came out of it, weekends enjoying summer fun.

August - A month of celebrations as mentioned in this post

September - Tried to do a post everyday but left it mid-way. Reminder to self(should do one soon). Visited lots of fairs. Ritvik sat first time in the carasoul, merry-go-round and other rides and enjoyed it thoroughly. Broadmoor friends decided to organize a Diwali Dhoom even in October. Became in charge of Cultural Event Comittee.

October - Very busy and fun month. Meeting to discuss about Diwali Dhoom, Dance practise at nights, kids practise, oooooooooh I love being busy. Finally had the grand and successful event and then 2 weeks of birthday parties

November - My baby's 2nd birthday, making preparations, preparing for India trip, visa stamping documents, meeting office deadlines, had a gr8 birthday for Ritvik at Mall Of America, left to India on the 17th Nov, visa stamping on the nov 25th @Chennai, got the pink slip(totally lost), BIL's wedding Nov30th-Dec1st. Had fun shopping.

December - In India, wedding and after functions, got visa issued, missed hubby, wanted to get back soon. enjoyed at home(Pune), reached US 25th Dec, had New Year party and ushered in the New Year 2012

Happy New Year 2012

Wishing you all a very Happy new year 2012

Week day Menu

Friday - 30th Dec
Bfast: Vermicelli Upma
Lunch/Dinner: Chapati/Rice + Fish Curry

Thu - 29th Dec
Bfast: Bread Toast
Lunch: Rice + methidal
Dinner: Chapati + Egg masala

Wed - 28th Dec
Bfast: Wheat Upma
Dinner: Capsicum Fried Rice

Tue - 27th Dec
Bfast - Bread Omlette
Dinner - Chapati + Tondli

Synopsis of my vacation

Week1: Reached Mumbai , midnite of 19th Nov 2011, as soon as I landed and felt the heat of Mumbai, wanted to rush back to hubby's arms, met parents and drove to Pune.
Was jet lagged and tensed about visa stamping. Before I left itself everyone advised me not to travel as I had to get my visa stamping done and everyone knows what a pain it is nowadays(with all the various colored slips the consulate hands out). After 2 days, flew to Cbe. Next day travelled to Chennai for visa stamping. Got the pink slip. Returned back to Cbe.

Week2: Wedding week- 2 days of shopping and 2 days of wedding. Had fun.

Week3: @Home, tensed, no updates on visa, well usually takes 4 weeks or more, should I cancel my tickets, what if I don't get it, missing hubby, nothing to do, Got newly married couple home, went 1 day shopping with them, they went to the bride's home, only good thing was to spend loads and loads of time with Ritvik.

Week4: Wedding couple went for their honeymoon, again stayed at home, decided if visa gets more delayed can spend more time in Kerala and Pune(grinning abt that). Got message passport is gonna be delivered, no idea if visa is issued, more tension, courier is delayed by a day, still nailbiting awaiting, finally passport delivered with visa, happy, went shopping.

Week5: Back to Pune, 1 day went to Kirkee to meet old family friends, 1 day went to Dehuroad, next day bank work, realized have to go to Mumbai to get bank account closed, went to mumbai one whole day, last day went to airport and flew to US.

Back from Vacation

Am back from a month long vacation to India. Me and my baby went to India for a month. Did nothing much, lazed at in-laws house for a month, was at my place for a week.
Hightlight of the trip was that my 2 yr old co-operated very well with the long flight, i had absolutely no issues with him.

Love u baby