Christmas 2014

MERRYYYYYYYYYYYY X-MAS....!!!!!!!!!!!! HO HO HO

Though we dont celebrate this festival, me and pihu did lots n lots of paintings on christmas theme for this whole month. We made finger & hand print stuffs like christmas tree, gingerbread man, snow man, christmas lights, reindeers, elves, cake, christmas candy and christmas wreath.

Christmas celebration @ Pihu's school

I always wanted to decorate a christmas tree @ my house, infact I was eagerly waiting for pihu to grow up so that both of us can have fun decorating the christmas tree. But I couldn't be more patient so got a little christmas tree and decorated it myself :)

Hope you got few ideas on how to keep your kids busy during holiday season. Wish you all a happy holidays and Merry christmas.....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Diwali 2014

Diwali/Deepavali, I must say the most tiring Indian festival. It begins almost months ahead of the actual festival date. Lots of cleaning, shopping, decorations, praying, parties etc etc etc.

This year shopping was out of my list as all three(me, hubby and baby) had new clothes for festival already ready, Thanks to our previous month holiday. So one task out of the list.

Next was the major headache that any working women has...CLEANING. I was struggling and juggling to complete this task for weeks and with my little one around it was much more tougher to keep her busy while we were busy with the actual task. Here is how we turned cleaning a fun and entertaining family activity.

Pihu and Papa cleaning and playing tallest tower game. She the smile on her face.

 This year I also made some decorative diya's. Bought some mud diya's and using fabric paints and glitters gave them little makeovers.

These handpainted diya's formed return gifts for those who visited us on the festival day. Nicely packed with some prasad and sweets.

How can any festival start or end without festival special goodies & foodies? This year we(me and mom) made few items the so called "pakwaan". OMG after office making these items till midnight without even tasting them and then next day again back to work, what a hectic week it was. 

We made 'namak paare', 'mixture' and 'khove ki gujiya'; as usual gulab jamuns were last in the list and poor thing they couldn't make it to the festival. We made them almost 20 days after the festival ;)

No festival in india is celebrated without rangoli. Here is what I made at my house a chutuku mutuku corner rangoli at the main entrance.

We normally arrange a separate altar for special pooja's. We have set one next to our regular pooja altar, the entire pooja was performed here only.

Diwali without crackers is incomplete, considering environment in mind we tried to keep our fireworks in limit. We ended our day with the little firework just as ritual.

And yeh my little pataka in all her cute cute nakhra's below

This year there was diya decoration competition for parents at my little ones school, below are some pics from the event.

Hope you enjoyed reading my blog....!!!!!!

Pihu's first Vacation - part 3

Oct 4th:

Today chuku and chinnu made lemon rice, far better than what we had in munnnar :). For pihu I made the standard aloo paratha which my cutie pie luvs. Then we all started for Alleppey. On the way to Allepey we shopped a little bit, I took the hamrock which I have been wanting for long. It was a 4 x 8 ft one which shash bargained for 700 Rs/- I remember the same piece in Shilparamam @ hyderabad cost 2200/-. 

Then upon reaching the boat jetty area @ Alleppey we hired a boat for 2000 Rs/- for 2 hrs, It was a beautiful pleasant ride. The village areas, the coconut trees, paddy fields, sight of boat houses, cool breeze though the sun burning high exactly on top of our head. From 12:20 to 2:20 pm we enjoyed the boat ride. 

Then we started back to kochi, on the way back we had lunch @ hotel Cassia. The ambiance of this hotel was excellent. I liked the bamboo baby hi-chair, infact they even had a baby rocker for infants. Food was also good but the service was bit slow and infact confusing, some of our starters were served after the main course. The only thing bad was the lemon soda which was not at all cool and when we asked for some cooling effect(I actually was expecting ice) I don't know what they did but now it was no more soda, looks like they added cold water.

Then we started back to fort kochi, we went to the beach it was very very clean and with lots n lots of sea shells. I was worried pihu would be scared as she dint enjoy her first beach visit during my chennai offical trip, but this time she enjoyed a lot. She played for 5-10 min but whole-heartedly. We even saw a marriage photo shoot happening @ the beach. We quickly returned and changed pihu's wet and sandy clothes. 

Then we started for Santa Cruz Basilica church which is near by the beach. It is famous church in kochi but when we reached there it was busy with prayers going on, so we could not go inside. Took some pics from outside.

Then we started back for some shopping. I wanted to buy one more kasavu saree but almost all shops were close by 8:00 pm. I tried my luck @ Oberon mall but couldn't find anything. But yeah we took some snaps @ the 3 monkeys kiosk. Then from another near by shop I took a kerala kutti frock for pihu and her favourite chamsha(goggles). For myself I found some stone bangles and junk jewelleries.

Then we returned home, cooked food, ate and off to bed.

Oct 5th:

Our last day of our vacation, days pass on so fast specially the good ones ;)

Feeling bad that our vacation is ending and we have to go back to our routine schedule but I promised myself that our next vacation will not take such long :) We got ready packed up everything had semiya upma made by chuku and chinnu and started to airport around 8:50 am. We reached by 9:40 and saying a emotional good bye went for check-in.

Pihu was crying chuku chacha hona chachi hona, but I made some story and tried to keep her busy. After the security check pihu saw lays at the food court and since we dint treat her with her favourite lays for more than 5 days we bought one pack for her. She was enjoying her lays while we waited for the boarding call. There was a little girl sitting quietly with her papa, pihu offered her one chip and she refused to take, but pihu was so demanding she ultimately forced that girl to take the chip, finally the girl has to give up and take the chip. Hurrayyyyy I won was Pihu's expression :)

Today is mom's birthday so I called her from airport only, spoke to her for a minute and hanged up. Then the boarding started since it was a big Queue we were waiting at the seating area only. Hardly only few were left out to board in pihu suddenly said potty. OMG potty at the airport again. I rushed to the rest room and got her finish her work and ran for boarding as expected we were the last one to board in. Finally boarded in and off to HYDERABAD.

GOODDDDDDD BYEEEEE KOCHIIIIIIIII............!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

While we were waiting for our hamrock @ hyderabad airport pihu enjoyed @ the RGIA airport. Having fun with almost all the items over there including a ATM, battery operated golf cart and the batukamma flowers. 

Finally reached home around 2:00 pm, with that our first family vacation ends with lots of happy and fun filled memories to cherish and remember forever.

GOODDDDDDD BYEEEEE VACATIONNNNNNNNN..............!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pihu's first Vacation - part 2

Oct 2nd:

Got up early and got ready but by the time we started for sight seeing it was already 9:15 am courtesy Shash always a drama king and late latif.

On the way to munnar town we stopped by at this ammavaru temple. Being navratri they had the bommala koluvu inside temple.

Then as we came out first thing everyone wanted was food, so we went to silver tips for buffet breakfast. It was awesome food infact the best breakfast of our entire trip, shash and chuku did the justice to the cost. 

After a nice breakfast we started for sight seeing. We covered the following places

Tea museum: pihu was asleep for almost 50% of our time in tea museum so we were able to concentrate on the short movie and the demo. We purchased some tea from the museum.

The next stop was Mattupetty dam. There was heavy jam near the dam, we enjoyed the mur-mura chat, ground nut chat, tota pari mango, pineapple. All were too good. Street food is always mouth watering.

From there we went to elephant arrival point, we could only see a baby elephant.
Then upon return back to the town we stopped by near the boating point but due to heavy rush the entry was closed so we directly went to elephant ride.

At elephant ride point it was an hour long wait and pihu was almost sleepy all 4 of us (me, shash, chuku, chinnu) tried to keep her engaged with all sort of tactics. She even fed those elephants pineapples while waiting for our turn, Then finally our turn came and we went to the ride. Pihu enjoyed to the fullest. Me and chinnu were enjoying but almost with our heart in mouth :) Finally the ride was over and we again fed those elephant with pineapples but this time from top of the elephant.

Then we started back to the town we all were hungry and pihu was sleeping so thought to give a try to the street food on the munnar town street. We all had kerala paratha. Actually me and chuku just had like snacks but shash and chinnu had it like dinner.

After the dinner cum snack time we went on for some shopping, took 2 Kerala sarees, 2 dress materials, 1 baby frock, few junk jewelries and some goodies. Pihu woke up and was hungry so we went for dinner at silver tips. Infact only me, pihu and chuku had dinner & then back to room and off to bed.

Oct 3rd: HAPPYYYYYYYYYY DUSHERRAAAAAAAAAAAAAA.

I wanted to get up early today so that I can talk to family members on phone and convey festival wishes but as the thumb rule of parenting goes, when you need your kids to cooporate the most its only then they trouble you the most; today pihu troubled a lot. Then finally all got up around 7:00 am and got ready. We then checked out of that resort.

Finally we were out of that place, before starting back to kochi everyone wanted to have breakfast at silver tips so that no need to stop in middle. So we went back to Silver tips but being long weekend there was heavy traffic jam(almost 3km) till munnar so we took a detour a bit lengthy route and finally reached silver tips. It was almost the closing time but the staff let us in.

They even served us almost every item and that too hot hot. Yummyyyyyyyyyyy.........!!!!!!! & the time to say GOOD BYE MUNNAR. 

On the way back we tried to take some snaps in the tea gardens but ladies working there dint let us in. One lady was courteous enough to let us in and we took few snaps and managed to wind up in 10 min. Then we took a small detour to Attukal waterfalls, it was just 2 km detour so worth to spend some addition 30 min. Only thing scary was the road to the waterfall, it is a single lane ghat road and same road is used for entry and exit. So if an opposite vehicle comes then we are blocked unless some one dares to move back of get down the tar road.

We then stopped by at the tea gardens were we got ample time to take the pics. It was a nice place and nice view. Then we started back to kochi.

We reached Kochi around 5:00 pm. Everyone was hungry. I cooked nice food for all and by the time we completed our supper it was around 6:30 pm. After taking some rest we just went for a drive + shopping.

But in kochi almost the roads get deserted by 9:00 pm and shops get closed by 8:00 only so it was altogether a no shopping no sight seeing day...only travel. Finally we came back home and off to bed.

Rest continued in next part....

Pihu's first Vacation - part 3

Pihu's first Vacation - part 1

Its almost 2 yrs but we haven't dared to take pihu out for a holiday/vacation. In fact we didn't plan for a holiday since we got married. This year shash planned for our first family vacation to Kerala. With a toddler vacation is risky due to weather and water change but taking a break was must.

We started to Kochi from Hyderabad on Sep 30th 2014 via flight. Shash cannot travel for more than 12 hrs in train. So flights are his first and foremost and the only choice.

Sep 30th:

Since it was 9:00 am flight we had to start early from home. We started around 7:20 am, pihu was still sleeping. The cab driver was very rude person and was driving like a bullock cart when we insisted him to drive bit fast he started fighting with us. It was a new indica still wit a T/R no. but had already met accidents twice. Finally we reached airport on time and even Pihu got up. The checkin formalities were finish by 8:30 am, we still had 20 min for boarding, so we had little photo shoot.

Pihu's potty was my major concern and I was wondering how will she (infact I) manage in flight and just in time she said M potty. She finished her fresh up task @ RGIA airport only, half tension gone. Then we boarded in, pihu was doing masti in flight with her papa, calling all air hostess as Mausi. :)

She had her breakfast(aloo ka paratha) which I cooked at home and played for the entire duration of flight. Just while descending before landing at kochi she was feeling irritation in her ears due to pressure change and I made her sleep during last 5 min :) We came out of kochi airport around 11:00 am.

Chuku chacha came to pick us. He hired a ford figo without a driver so for the entire trip shash was our official driver :)

We first stopped by @ aryas restuarant on the way to chukus home for breakfast. It was OK OK. Thank god they didn't use coconut oil for my dosa and I got to know here that keralities drink hot, really hot water not just warm with food. After breakfast we reached home around 1:00 pm took some rest then I cooked lunch at home and after a heavy lunch @4:00 pm we took some rest.

After chinnu came around 5:00 pm we planned to go to LuLu mall.

Pihu enjoyed the rides over there. There was a mini roller coaster which even chinnu is scared of and Pihu loved that ride. She wanted to go for a second round. Infact she did go for round 2.

Then we took some  food parcel at LuLu only and returned home. By the time we all ate and went to bed it was already 12:30 am.

Oct 1st:

Chuku and chinnu planned for dosa breakfast. By the time we all got ready, had stomach full and heartful of breakfast and started it was already 11:15 am. :)

We started to munnar, GPS was lost in the middle leading us to take a detour and not the actual national highway it was so deserted that we were doubting whether it goes to munnar or not. At some points the road was so steep that I felt like my heart is in my mouth. It was so scary. Finally it merged with the actual route somewhere 10 kms away from munnar and we were back on track.

Finally we reached the resort which we booked, it was 5kms ahead of munnar, & honestly that was the night mare of our trip. The most horrible thing was the steep sloppy entrance for the so called resort which actually was not a resort it  was a hotel. We quickly unloaded the luggage and went to munnar town for some food and mainly to find another hotel, but being a long weekend there were no availability at all. :(

Finally we gave up and planned to go to the room only to sleep. Then we ate nice punjabi food at the punjabi dhaba . The food was served hot hot even at 4:30 pm, it was less spicy so shash dint actually like it.

Then we went to the forest flower garden, it was almost time for closure they quickly let us in and I guess we hardly spent 20 min in the garden. Few flowers were really beautiful. There were these ornamental pineapple which caught attention of our medico(Chinnu).

Then the next stop was this famous photo point, weather being cloudy this point was awesome, it was almost the sunset time so the colors on the mountain were beyond words. Unfortunately our bestest best camera's could not capture the beauty of nature. Few things are only for your eyes. We still tried to take some pics, we were able to see the smoke coming out of our mouth as we spoke. Had some fun time there and then as it was getting darker we started back to the town.

By the time we reached munnar town it was 7:00 pm so we went for little shopping.

I dint buy much, only some candies, Eucalyptus oil and raisins. Chuku and chinnu did some home made chocolates shopping which finally I got them to Hyderabad. Sorry Guys dint have choice.

Then we went to the Sujatha Inn for dinner, it was the most horrible dinner of the trip. Lemon rice was actually Jeera rice colored yellow and with lemon slices..eeeeeee none of us liked it. Pihu madam did some potty drama for 10 min but poor baby she dint feel comfortable to go in that place so we quickly returned to room and off to bed.

Rest continued in next part.

Pihu's first Vacation - part 2

Pihu's first road trip

Pihu's first long road trip.  A Weekend trip from hyderabad to bhadrachalam on Sep 20th & 21st 2014. 

Bhadrachalam is an important Hindu pilgrimage town, situated on the banks of Godavari River.The town is famous for temple of Lord Rama.

We started by our own car around 1pm and reached bhadrachalam around 8 pm. On the way we stopped at "Highway Food Court 7 at Suryapet", mid-way between Hyderabad and Vijayawada. We ate some snacks here and pihu did lots n lots of masti.

She enjoyed with the chota bheem cutout, check her expression and poses below.

 Below is her nautanki near the garden @ the food court

 Some masti with M

Only family pic...Infact a family Selfie or shall I call it Familyfie. :)

After the little joyful break we started back on our journey. Upon reaching bhadrachalam first we went to TSTDC Haritha resort, the receptionist informed that lots of rooms are available and that the temple will close around 8:30 pm so instead of checking in we directly went for darshan and it was very very peaceful darshan as the temple was empty. We got darshan 2 times and the last seva i.e pavalimpu seva started around 9 pm.  We took tickets and were allowed to sit inside the temple. When we said pihu "jai jai ko jo jo karare"(they are putting lord to sleep) she started singing A, B, C, D (the lullaby I sing for her) :).

After that we took a room in near by hotel(Sri Venkateswara Hotel), it was cheaper than Haritha and decent enough. After freshening up we ate some fried rice and pihu ate dosa. It was OK food, but cockroaches were something which at first were not seen, but suddenly popped up as the food came.

Next day morning after freshening up, we checked out and ate breakfast outside. Dint dare to try the in house restaurant at the hotel. 

Shash and pihu doing masti @ the hotel.

While shash was busy with check out formalities me and pihu were having fun in the car. Wow we got the gundu papa's pic also captured. 

After Breakfast, First we went to Godavari for darshan, no wonder it was dirty. Then we went to temple for darshan since kalyanam was going on little Queue was there so we went to the museum first. Then we took archana ticket and got archana done. For archana we were allowed inside till the main garbha gudi.

Then we purchased some ladoos prasadam and started back to hyderabad around 11:15 am. 

Only pic of ours which we could take @ the temple.

              

We stopped by @ kottagudem for little milk break for pihu.  Then we started back, next stop was at khamam in the spicy restaurant kaveri for lunch. Then we started back and reached home around 8 pm.

And thats the end of our and pihu's first road trip....!!!!!!!!!!