Wilton's Cake decorating program.

I have finally enrolled myself in the Wilton's Cake decorating program. I had googled this online and one of my blogger friend also recommended this. So it was on my mind for almost 3-4 months when finally I decided to just go to the nearest location and get myself enrolled. I'm in Course 1 which lasts for 4 weeks - 1 lesson/week. They have 4 levels. I know they do it here in the United states at Michael's. Just go to your nearest location and enquire about it if you are interested or check them out online.

Today is my second lesson and I'm super excited. We have to take a baked cake complete with Icing and our instructor is going to show us how to decorate..I just can't wait. I'm more or less an amateur baker. Though I've picked up quite a few things and techniques from the net and Youtube. So will keep you guys posted as to what happens with my cake decoration lessons..Is it going to be a hit or a miss...Whatever the results it makes me happy to do something for myself.

This is exactly what I wanted to say in today's post...Many a times we get so wrapped up in everything around us and doing so many things for everybody else we many a times forget to just take care of ourselves. So if you just do a little just FOR YOURSELF.. See how it feels..I'm saying this from experience. It could be as simple as just taking a walk or getting a new haircut you wanted or just going to the library and picking up books you always wanted to read. So How about TODAY...So tomorrow you can have happy memories of Today.

Leaving you all with a beautiful quote :
You only live once - but if you work it right, once is enough. - Joe E. Lewis

Dear Mr. Dryer...

Its been couple days that our dryer decided that enough is enough and it was time to say good bye to us...He left us there stranded...My new load of freshly washed laundry..thanks to Mr. Washer was left to dry by itself or find a replacement.

No, No before you all run to conclusions and think I'm losing my mind- Let me explain the situation. We in this technology advanced era have gotten so used to the household appliances that many a times we just take them for granted. Maybe if we show a little gratitude to the services provided by them and being there for us when we need them..it would be fair on them.. Of course they are machines..they have no feelings..You are absolutely right...But a thought just crossed my mind and for a moment just lets pretend they have feelings. So I decided to show my gratitude to the unsung heroes(appliances) in our household and thought it would be appropriate to address them as Mr. Washer, Mr. Dryer etc.. Why not right...after all they are with us day in day out... So Mr. Dryer maybe you just need a day to rest or maybe you are in a coma--please come back , we all need you..the clothes love you..and need your warmth. We homemakers and busy moms can't work without you. You have been an integral part of our lives. Mr. Appliance Doctor is on its way and I hope can see whats wrong and can fix you.. Everything is going to be fine.

Leisure by W.H. Davies

What is this life , if full of care
We have no time to stand and stare ?

No time to stand beneath the boughs,
and stare as long as sheep and cows :

No time to see, when woods we pass,
where squirrels hide their nuts in grass-

No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night:

No time to turn at beauty's glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance:

No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile that her eyes began ?

A poor life this if full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

I love this poem even till this day. I remember learning this as a child and I revert back to the wisdom in this poem from time to time.

Sometimes when life goes about at such crazy and hectic schedule this poem always reminds me to take a moment and relax. Enjoy the bounties of nature. There will always be some task to be completed some place to reach.

I'm sure many would agree with me that time to time many of us over commit ourselves. We think if we squeeze in our time we could even do a particular thing for someone. In all this grand plan of making time for everybody we many a times fail to make time for ourselves. I'm guilty of this. So I know and now it soon catches up with you and then you end up emotionally , physically and mentally drained.

So as we all our in our spring cleaning mode I just took a moment to declutter my mind as well. I'm making a list of things I can do and things I could not really do. If I over stretch myself I end up over exerting myself and that leaves me feeling so tired and not happy either . So I narrowed on 2 important things which will really make my life very easy and make me happy-

• I figured its alright to allow ourselves to say , 'No' once in a while to commitments which we really do not have time for. Its impossible to please everyone everytime.
• Make time for 'ME' time where I can do things I love to do- this could be as little as 10-15 minutes to an hour- things like writing, blogging, reading to name a few.

See, I feel better already by pouring my heart out in this post. See you soon with more of whats happening in my life. In the meanwhile, feel free to give me your suggestions and feeback on this post.

Another Snow Storm...

By now we on the East Coast have seen so much of snow this winter, we do not even want to think about more snow. Until this morning, we get some more. The school called this morning to let us know, No School Today. My son is excited and happy as he gets another snow day...

My younger son is happy as he has his big brother to play with him all day long. Now I see this as a plan to keep me super busy. The morning begins with a lazy start. The kids are awake and are tip toeing downstairs to check out the snow. Soon I'm busy fixing breakfast and lunch and occasionally tempted to see the weather report.

It has started to snow and sweet soft snow flakes oblivious to everything around are beginning to cover everything it falls on. Now that does feel beautiful to look at. But as too much of a good thing loses its charm after a while, thats how I've started to feel about snow too. The first snowfall is beautiful and kids love making snow angels and having innocent snow ball fights. Then when it starts disrupting the normalcy around you, then you know you have had too much.

Soon Its evening and I get some quiet 'Me' time when the kids are being entertained by my husband who was working from home. I guess when you say you are working from home in fact you are over working. We saw him emerge once from his study for lunch and has been busy all day with his conferences and the likes. So I enjoyed my time sipping my favorite hot ginger tea and writing this post. This has been therapeutic for me and when I write and pour out my thoughts and ideas it makes me rejuvenated and makes me feel so good.

Talking about Winter and the Snow storms, I know this shall soon pass. Spring will be here soon. You can feel the crisp spring air, the birds chirping happily, the sun shining bright letting us know all is well. The new flowers blooming and seeing the landscape change makes you so happy.

So this makes me think, if we did not have the cold severe weather would we appreciate the warm weather and the beautiful gifts of nature. I guess not, as we would soon begin to take things for granted. Only when we lose something , do we value it for what it was worth.

A Wakeup Call...

Thanks a lot for caring. I was away for a while and many of you were worried for me. I was a bit under the weather and also too sad to post for some time now.

I was with one of my friends trying to comfort her as much as I could as her husband is far away from her Now. He had just turned 40 and his exit from this earth was untimely and just so soon. I must say though he has lived is life to the fullest enjoying every moment of it. That's what one of his dearest friend so beautifully described saying what we could have done and achieved by the time we would be say in our 80's he did it by the time he was 40. Also he always had a wonderful smile on his face and his sense of humor was one which got people hooked onto him. Best of all was his love for food. He loved to cook as well. He was a person who could make friends with anybody and everybody. As we were grieving with his wife and amidst the tears we were exchanging notes and incidents about him ,there was laughter with the tears. Then his wife said so too -He would'nt want us to cry for him but to celebrate his life on this earth. A Remarkable human being, a caring and loving husband, a wonderful father to his 3 girls and a wonderful friend.

He taught us all one thing. It was like a wakeup call for us. Seize the moment and live for today and live like there's no tomorrow. Be kind and thoughtful today. Sometimes there is no tomorrow, just a memory of what yesterday was all about. Its almost 3 weeks now since we lost him but he will be missed and remembered forever.

The little Boy who wanted to meet the President.

This five year old boy was really looking forward to go to his new school. It was kindergarten. He had heard a lot of things about his new school. He was ready to move on from his preschool to this new big boy's school as he told his mommy. It was a big step for him and he was really excited. The transition was smooth. He had wonderful loving teachers and he loved his new class mates.


During this time it was also time for the Presidential elections, and at school they were making the kids aware of the entire process of how elections are held, the White House and the candidates. He was so curious and excited just like his other friends in his class. Once he was saddened too. When the elections got to the final two candidates and again they had to choose who would be the best choice for the President of the United States. He asked his mother very innocently, "When the White house is so big why can't Mr. Barack Obama and Mr. John McCain both share it, why do the people have to choose one President ? ". It was a valid question. His mother tried her best to explain to this five year old how these things work in the real world.


Soon the day came when History was made and for the first time, an African American Became the President of the United States of America. By now this little boy had watched Mr. Barack Obama on TV a lot when his parents sat through the presidential elections, debates, his Inaugural speech. He was very happy for Mr. President. He was giving the reasons why Mr. Barack Obama won the elections.


Also during this entire time he was very keen to visit Washington DC to see the White house. His parents promised him they'll soon take him to see the White house. It was just a matter of three hours the driving distance between realizing his dream and where he lived. Finally this last Thanksgiving November 2009, his parents were visiting some friends and decided to take this boy to the White house as promised.


Washington DC is cold around this time. But the promise made to their son had to be fulfilled. They all go visiting the White House and it was around 5:00 pm. It was chilly and dark. This boy was all prepared with his jacket and mittens and a hat. They are driving by and his dad showed him the White House, thinking it was too cold to walk. But this little boy was so determined to walk as close to the White House as possible. Finally his dad finds a parking lot and now they all walk towards the White House. It was a beautiful feeling. It was cold but full moon night. They all take pictures for keepsake and admire the White HOuse. The little Boy seems to be thinking and not quite happy. He tells his parents " Alright , now Can we meet Mr. President Please ". Then it occurs to his parents , all this while he said he wanted to visit the White House was to meet the President. They tried to tell him without breaking his heart, that the President is so busy with so many importangt issues right now, thats the reason he cannot meet with us.


But he did not seem convinced. There were some security personnel outside the White House. The White house for obvious reasons is well guarded. He asked his parents , whether it was alright to go and ask the security personnel whether he could meet the President. His parents let him ask the Security. The little boy walks to the Security , and asks he wants to meet the President. The parents are watching as within couple minutes, the little boy returns with a sad face and says, "The security officer says, Nobody can meet the President, but you could watch him on TV".


His parents try to tell him like any other parent would. "How about you be so good in your studies and school, that the President Mr. Barack Obama will come to your School and be so proud of you. That way you can meet Mr. President. ". The little boy is still waiting and has'nt stopped dreaming yet.

Learning the ABC's...

When growing up do you remember, how we learnt our ABC'S...I still remember A is for apple and I'm sure thats how they still teach in schools. But at home as I'm trying to teach my younger son, the ABC's and trying to find out words he could relate to. I find he relates more to Caillou, Tom and Jerry , Thomas the train/tank enegine, Noddy, Mickey Mouse,Spiderman, Batman to name a few. So thats what I did the other day I decided to teach him his ABC's and have some some fun with it too. He was so happy and excited to know the alphabets because they corresponded to his favorite cartoon characters.

I'm not an expert in this field. Although, almost did my major in education and had to change my mind because of health related issue. But my very first job was that of a primary/elementary school teacher and I loved it. I was a substitute for a fellow teacher and they let me teach part-time and that job went on for a year. How I loved every moment of it though. Soon I found out that I was allergic to chalk/dust and for the entire time I taught by the 2nd day of the week my voice would be so hoarse and it my throat really hurt. I really struggled, each morning did warm water gargles and took some medication. Finally went to couple of ENT specialists and it was ascertained I was allergic to dust and chalk powder in this case. In the meanwhile I was sure Teaching was my calling and also enrolled for a Bachelors in Education Program. But then decided if I couldn't teach , It would be best not to pursue the Bachelors in Education Program. By now my younger sister was really motivated and she instead enrolled in this program couple years later and now is an awesome teacher. She's into teaching for the love of it and does such a wonderful job with her students. I'm really proud of her.

But now things have changed and are changing. Many schools do not use chalk and use white boards instead and now my older son who is in 1st grade is motivating me to go back to teaching. As they say , Never Say Never. Lets see what life has in store for me.