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The Post That Was Supposed to Go Out on Friday…

If the title of this post doesn’t speak to the state of my mind right now, I don’t know what does. Edited to be in the right tense!

You guys, the past few months have been so go-go-go. And while we’ve had some downtime, I still feel like I’m constantly playing catch up. But that’s how this season of life goes I suppose. Anyone else with me?

Anyways, I could go on and on about how fast this year flew by, but I’ll spare you. Let’s get to my five things for today…

ONE – We’re headed to Atlanta this Friday, and I can’t wait! This year will be extra special because Vishnu will actually be joining us. K and I will still fly down a little earlier, but that’s just a minor detail! In addition to squeezing in some quality family time, I have plans to see some of my good girl friends too! Like I said, I CAN’T WAIT!!

TWO – So that brings me to NYE. While K is still far too young to stay up until midnight, we found a solution to our ‘how do we celebrate this holiday in a fun way with a toddler in tow.’ A group of us (four couples) are renting a big house in Chicago. All of us have two-year-old boys, so this is going to be a total blast! The boys all go to sleep at the same time, so once they’re down, the adults can do their thing. A win for everyone!

THREE – My work’s Chicago holiday party was last Thursday, and I co-organized it with another colleague of mine. Let me start off my saying that I’m not an events person. I can’t even organize a proper four person get together, never mind a 30 person one. BUT, with that being said, it turned out beautifully. The food was delicious, the overall mood was festive and fun, and most importantly, everyone had a great time. Phew!

FOUR – I need to do a full review of this thing, but the Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer & Volumizer Hot Air Brush (that’s a mouthful) is my favorite hair tool of all time. It took me like a month of using it to finally figure out how to dry my hair smooth, but it works! If you’re looking to put something on your Christmas list, this should be it. You won’t regret it…and it’s currently on sale on Amazon!

FIVE – Kaiden had his first school performance last Friday, and I was stoked! I loved seeing my little guy sing Jingle Bells and dance. This was the best holiday party to date that we’ve had at his school. Probably because he’s older now and has more fun himself!

HAPPY FRIDAY AND WEEKEND!

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Random Rambles

written by Parita 1 Comment

Ok, first thing’s first. How is it mid-November!? This year seriously flew by (as I say about time in general!).

This picture has nothing to do with this post! It’s just a fun one of my baby, so I’m sharing it.

Anyways, we’re leaving for the Bahamas tomorrows (for our friend’s wedding), so I thought I’d check in and say hi before disconnecting for a bit.

Oh the Bahamas. I’m so excited to be in warmer weather and reunited with some good friends, but we have no idea how Kaiden is going to adapt. I’m 110% sure he’s going to have a blast, as so many people are bringing their kids. But the thing that concerns me is sleep. We’re sharing a room with him, so I just hope he sleeps. The last wedding we attended back in April ended up being a disaster in terms of his sleep (and mine…and everyone else’s). FINGERS AND TOES CROSSED!

Speaking of sleep, if you follow me on Instagram, you know that we’re dealing with some stuff in that area with K. Tuesday night was really good (no crying…more sleeping), so I’m hoping we’re on a positive trajectory. Also hoping our upcoming travel doesn’t mess things up again! FINGERS AND TOES CROSSED!

I’ve been doing a lot of 2019 reflecting this week. There were some absolutely amazing and joy filled moments, and some down times as well. One of the things I want to work on is not taking on needless stress. I need to think about how to do this a little more, but I tend to internalize a lot of things that can be easily delegated or just let go. I want more joy and less stress in 2020. I already have my word of the year…so be on the lookout for that!

I’m also working on planning for 2020 because I have a few work trips already on the calendar, we have at least three weddings lined up, Vishnu and I want to take a couple of trips, etc. And this is just the travel component. We also signed K up for soccer. I’m sure lots of other things will get squeezed in as well.

Speaking of 2020, I can’t believe we’re here. I’ve been thinking about this year for a long time. I think it’s because of the show 20/20. I know it’s not the same thing (year vs. vision), but in my brain, the two are connected. I remember being 16 in year 2000 thinking about how in 2020 I’ll turn 36. “How old!” was the exact thought. Annnnd just like that, we’re almost there!

What else?

Vishnu and I are still trying to make healthy choices on a daily basis. So far so good! For us, it’s mainly about cutting out post-dinner snacks (Vishnu -savory stuff, me – sweet stuff). We’re also back to regular workouts, which help tremendously. Here’s to an even healthier 2020!

To switch gears completely, I have to share that I finally purchased a Live Tinted Hue Stick in the shade Found. My mom was actually the one who convinced me. She asked me what I knew about these sticks, and I told her that I wanted to get the newest shade. She said the same, so we ordered them together! Not sure when I would’ve gotten around to that if she hadn’t asked me. Thanks, ma!

Speaking of my mom, it’s HER BIRTHDAY TODAY!!! Happy happy birthday to my fun, funny, amazing, compassionate, powerful, and beautiful momma! Love you forever in circles and circles!

That’s all I have for today. Nothing too exciting…pretty damn tired…looking forward to the end of the year…hoping to blog at least 2x a week in 2020 (so expect more random rambles type updates!)…

Happy Thursday!

Sharing a Little ‘ING’

written by Parita 3 Comments

Something I want to get back to (and I’ve shared this before) is old school blogging. Blogging about life, current happenings, random stuff. I still LOVE the blogs that keep it informal and real. More of that in 2020 for sure!

With that being said, the ‘ing’ type posts were super popular when I first started blogging, so I thought I’d bring it back today.

Without further adu – here’s what I’m feeling, travelling, sweating, seeing…and on and on!

FEELING – To be honest, I’m feeling a little bit of everything right. Thankful, calm, and overwhelmed at times. Part of this, I know, has to do with DST. I hate that it gets so dark so early, and I know that it impacts my mood for sure. As I’ve alluded to in the past, I’m trying my best to implement strategies to keep the negative emotions at bay – scheduling me time, fun activities for K, date nights, etc.; making sure I have one thing to look forward to every week; picking good books that I don’t want to stop reading; going to the office 1-2x a week; not skipping workouts. Just a few things I’m doing to combat the ‘winter blahs!’

TRAVELLING – We/I have three trips from now until the end of December – Bahamas (all of us…for a good friend’s wedding), London (just me…for work), and Atlanta (all of us!). I think all this travel all around the same time is adding to my overwhelm, but I’m trying to focus on the fun aspects versus the stressful ones. Even though it doesn’t feel like it all the time, we’re giving Kaiden a gift by taking these trips and creating memories.

SWEATING – I was on such a good workout streak, and then all of the aforementioned travel started. I’m still trying to get in 3-5 really solid workouts in every week, including classes at my gym, treadmill runs/walks, Barre3 online, YouTube workout videos. I can use all the endorphins I can get!

SEEING – Kaiden grow up in front of our eyes! It’s crazy but I feel like he’s a different kid every day. He has recently started talking to Alexa…more like bossing her around…but it’s the cutest! He’s also asking at ton of questions like, “Mama, what are you doing? Where did dada go? Why?” And then when I answer he either says, “otay” or asks the question again!

WATCHING – We’re still watching The Americans (even though it’s been a minute). And I’m still watching This is Us and A Million Little Pieces. I like that I don’t have a ton of shows on my lineup but that I love each one that I do. It’s a good feeling!

LISTENING TO – You guys know me…I’m all about that podcast life. Currently, I’m really loving The Happiness Lab, Mommy Group, The Time-In Talks Podcast. Highly recommend checking them out!

READING – I’m currently reading The Tattooist of Auschwitz. I’m only on chapter 6, but it’s a heartbreakingly beautiful book so far. I’m a little obsessed with World War II books. I can’t imagine living through that, so I want to immerse myself in the lives of the people who did. Anyways, will post a review to my IG page once I’m done.

WRITING – I’m writing a lot for my IG page and less for the blog itself. Something I want to change going forward. I have lots of ideas and plans for 2020, and I’m hoping I can use my December ‘break’ to figure that stuff out!

LOVING – It’s hard to pick one thing. As cheesy as it sounds, I’m really loving my husband right now. I mean, I love him always and forever, but over the past few weeks, I’ve taken the time to really appreciate him and our relationship. He’s my #1 supporter, the best dad, and just someone who genuinely wants to see me happy. LOVE MY, BOO!

EATING – More salads, that’s for sure! On this week’s meal plan I have, Cookie and Kate’s Chilaquiles, Pinch of Yums Kale, Butternut Squash, and Lentil Soup, and Piping Pot Curry’s Lemon Parmesan Orzo. Can’t wait!

WEARING – You guys, it’s officially winter here in Chicago. Whoomp, whoomp! And this means I’m wearing my legit North Face winter jacket, Uggs earmuffs, and North Face Gloves…plus a scarf, boots, etc. Basically, the whole nine yards. It’s going to a long few months!

PLANNING – I’m planning to start planning at the end of December! I got a new 2020 planner and it’s very different from what I’ve used in the past. Don’t worry, I’m going to be sharing more about this very soon! I’m so freaking excited…it’s a little stupid!

Ok, so that’s what’s been going on in my life! I hope you have an awesome weekend!

Tell me – what do you think of old school blogging? So, more about the blogger’s life versus what the blogger thinks about specific topics. Of course, you can incorporate the latter into the former and vice versa, but the back in the day blogging had a different feel. Would love to hear your thoughts!

High 5 on a Friday!

written by Parita Leave a Comment

Oh man, what a week! There’s a reason why I haven’t blogged in a while.

While things were pretty up and down for the past 10 days or so, I’m happy to report that everything is fine now.

So with that, let’s get to my five things for this week…

ONE – I’ll begin with the one that didn’t start out on a high note. I mentioned in this IG post that I was experiencing a rash/hives of some sort. I experienced something similar last April, so I knew what this could lead to which forced me to go to doctor sooner than later. To make a long story short, I ended up having to go on steroids for this random episode of hives because none of the over the counter stuff was helping…at all. After lots of itchiness and two major ‘attacks,’ I’m happy to report that it looks like this gross (you should’ve seen my skin!) episode is over. I’m not thrilled about having to take steroids but am thankful to have found something that works for me. I’m very well aware of the side effects and am definitely monitoring my state of mind, emotional responses to things, and my hunger levels.

You’re probably what the heck caused this. Well, the short answer is we don’t know. We couldn’t pinpoint an exact cause last April, and I don’t think we’ll know with certainty what brought on this episode either. Vishnu and I think it’s our detergent, but again, that’s just an educated guess. I’ve done the full panel allergy testing, and nothing out of the ordinary showed up. My doctor thinks I may be one of those people who randomly breaks out in hives every so often. Yay. I’m going to take the extra step and do a little more follow-up with my doctor before the end of the year because there’s a slim chance this could be more serious. Here’s the hopefully getting some concrete answers!

Also, I should mention that while all of this was annoying to deal with, I feel very lucky that it was something we could deal with. #silverlinings

TWO – Moving on to happier things. My in laws visited us this past weekend, and it was a blast! Kaiden really enjoyed getting in person one-on-one time with his Achacha (grandpa) and Ammama (grandma). The minute we opened the door and let them into the apartment, he was standing there swaying and smiling! My FIL attended a conference Thursday-Sunday, which meant his time at home was a little more limited, but overall we got to squeeze in a few fun things and are really looking forward to getting some time together over the holidays when we’re in Atlanta!

THREE – You guys! I think Kaiden’s going through a major development/growth spurt. For one, he’s been a little moodier than usual, which usually means something. But more importantly, he’s talking in full sentences now (for the most part!). It’s insane. Every time he puts a subject and verb together with the words a or the, my mind is blown! How is my baby old enough to be doing this already!?

K will also be moving on to the older two’s classroom at the end of the month, and that means he’ll be with older kids (2.5-3 yo). I’m hoping this continues to help him grow, learn, and develop!

FOUR – The most exciting update I have today is that we leave for Cabo tomorrow! YAY! I can’t wait to spend 5 whole days with my family relaxing and reconnecting! I’ll be sure to do a full recap post for anyone who’s interested (and so I can selfishly relive this vacation for years to come). Kaiden is super excited about going on an airplane again and going to the beach (his first time!). Now if I could just get a magic packing fairy to come pack for me! 😊

FIVE – A few days after we get back from Cabo, I leave for London (for another 5 nights). But before I go, we are getting together with a few of my Chicago friends, their hubbies, and their babies to celebrate Diwali! More than anything, I’m so thankful for the good friends I have in my life right now. The friends that just get it and don’t judge. These ‘normal’ friendships are everything right now, and I’m so thankful that Kaiden and Vishnu also get their own little crews as well.

Well, you guys, that’s all I have for this week! Be sure to follow along on Instagram for more behind the scenes type stuff over the next few weeks. I’ll probably be more active on there.

Have a wonderful weekend!

High 5 on a Friday!

written by Parita Leave a Comment

I really expected this week to drag a little, especially because Vishnu’s on nights and I really don’t enjoy this schedule. For some reason, him being on nights makes me feel unproductive and lazy. I usually sit on the couch after putting Kaiden down and watch Friends, only to fall asleep on the couch by 9 pm. This time around though, I’ve been semi-productive. I think the ‘falling asleep on the couch’ thing only happened once. Look at me grow!

Anyways, with that, let’s move on to the five random things I want to share this week…

ONE – My youngest cousin on my mom’s side started college this week. I was talking to my masi (aunt) about it and how they’re doing, and something she said really hit me hard. She said, “Parita, I know everyone tells you this, but trust me, the time goes SO fast. I can’t believe Milan is 18 and starting college. I miss the days where I could just hold and kiss him whenever I wanted to. It’s like I blinked, and he grew up.”

Of course, that got me thinking about how K only has 16 years left with us at home before he goes off into the world. I know 16 years is a long time, but if you think about what you were doing 16 years ago, I’m sure you’ll feel like it was yesterday to some degree. Crazy!

TWO – We have quite a bit of travel coming up in September – December. I’m trying not to think about it too much, because when I do, I get really overwhelmed. Here’s a little rundown…

September – Vishnu in Germany for bachelor party
October – Cabo with the fam and London for work
November – Bahamas for a wedding. Vishnu in Austin for a race.
December – London for work and Atlanta for holidays (hopefully!)

So grateful for all of these opportunities and to take Kaiden on some fun adventures. It just feels like it’s happening all at once! Woooo sahhhhh!

THREE – I did a ‘ask me anything’ type thing on my Instagram stories this week, and whenever I even contemplate doing something like that, I get nervous. The thoughts that run through my head are – who cares, what will people think, who am I to do something like this, etc. So silly given that I’m doing it for fun, but those thoughts come up every now and then. A lot of the questions I got this time around were about being a new blogger, etc. I think it’s easy to say that you shouldn’t care about what other think, but it’s a lot harder to conquer that fear. I’m no exception. But once you do, it’s amazing. I got a handful of really good questions and loved answering them. Even better was all the engagement after I posted. So many fun DM convos!

This is all to say that if you have an idea, and it brings you joy, just do it! You won’t ever know what YOU’RE capable of if you only think about what others think you’re capable of. Prove them wrong (or right!).

FOUR

Since K turned two, I’ve started saying nightly prayers with him. So when we enter his room for bedtime, I say, “Let’s say our prayers together.” And he nods yes or says ‘yeah.’ Then we go on to pray for the world, our individual family members, and friends/family that need special/more specific prayers. Then I sing a specific prayer song I really love. Before putting him down, I always sing the first couple of lines from “You are my sunshine.” I’ve been doing this since he was a little baby! Well, for some reason, K starts giggling like a madman when I do this, which makes me laugh too. It’s the best! Probably not for getting him to sleep right away, but his giggles always make my night!

As much as I want to pull my hair out sometimes, I really do love this age and the antics that comes with it!

FIVE

For those of you thinking about making a purchase or two during the Sephora summer sale, I thought I’d share a few of my favorites.

My Drunk Elephant picks are all listed in this post. I cannot tell you guys how much I love this brand and what it’s done for my skin. My BIL’s girlfriend who was just here less than a month ago told me my skin has transformed. It’s still not perfect, but she said it looks so much smoother.

If you’re a newbie to DE, I highly recommend starting with the Littles kit, figuring out which products really work for your skin and purchasing full size bottles accordingly.

The thing is DE is worth every penny, but it truly costs A LOT of pennies!

I’ve fallen in love with this Hourglass Ambient Lighting powder again (I use the shade Dim Light). I used it all the time before having K and even afterwards but stopped using it when my skin started acting up last year and early this year. Well, I’m bringing it back into my routine because I love how it adds the right amount of color to my skin as well as a slight glow (without the grease). If you’re looking for a good setting powder, I would say this one is pretty perfect.

And finally, if you need a good eyeshadow recommendation, I would check out Tarte. I have a smaller palette from the brand with six shades, and I love it! The formula is so buttery and it really doesn’t crease much at all throughout the day. And the different palettes/colors are gorgeous.

Well, folks, that’s all I have today! Until next week…

Have a wonderful weekend!

Checking In

written by Parita Leave a Comment

Happpppy Tuesday! It’s been a while since I’ve checked in and shared the random stuff we’ve been doing, reading, eating, etc. Today’s the lucky day!

Fair warning. This post is going to be a bit all over the place. 🙂

Vishnu and I are trying to cut back on the number of toys we get K. Vishnu’s also trying to get rid of some of his current trinkets. With that being said, while I do think less is more, especially for young kids, sometimes I can’t resist and I end up buying something on Amazon. Take these big stuffed balls as an example. Kaiden is OBSESSED with balls, so how could I not hit purchase? And in my defense, they’ve been a hit!

When it comes to books, I don’t hold back! I really want to instill a love for reading in K starting at an early age, and thankfully, my persistent ways seem to be paying off. Kaiden loves it when we read to him! The other day, he brought me a book at 5:30 am. Ha! And while I think all books are great, I wanted to see if K would take to science oriented books, so I bought Hello World! Solar System and the Baby Loves Science Board Book Set. I loved science books as a kid (my favorite one was about dinosaurs), and I still do to an extent, so I figure it’s a win-win for all of us!

And when I’m not reading to K, I’m trying to find time to make a dent in book #5 of 2019, I’m Not Judging You. So far I really like it – it speaks to so many truths in a funny way. Will share more when I finally finish it!

Going back to Kaiden and his obsession with balls, you should’ve seen him at the Children’s Museum this past weekend. The only thing he wanted to do was bowl. Such a big change for my little guy who usually just wants to hold the bowling ball and roll it to me. But this weekend, it got to the point where I had to carry an upset little Kaiden out of that specific area because it was time to go! Such a little character.

In terms of meals we’ve been loving, The Chutney Life’s Instant Pot Lasagna Soup still tops the list. It’s so easy to make and it tastes so damn good! A must make IMO. We’re also loving the Trader Joe’s mushroom and truffle ravioli paired with the kale and cashew vegan pesto. I think K ate like six ravioli in record time!

For those who follow me on Instagram, you may be aware that Vishnu and I are trying to up our salad intake. I’ve been sharing my daily (ish) salad creations on IG, and so far, people have been loving it! All of this started when Vishnu proclaimed that he didn’t want to take a sandwich to work every day. He wanted to go back to the salads he used to take, but this time, he didn’t want me to get the prepackaged kind. He suggested that we make our own! I jumped on the salad bandwagon because I definitely needed to add some good things to my diet. It’s been a few weeks now, and we’re still going strong! Here’s to more veggies and lots of fun salad combos to come.

Switching gears a little bit, my friend Sonal featured me on her blog Coffee & Chai. I wrote a post about what it’s like to raise K as an Indian American, what our biggest priority is, and some of the small things I do on a daily basis to instill our cultural values in him. Give it a read and let me know what you think!

And finally, I just want to share something super small and unimportant. Our cleaning person came on Monday, and it made my day! Our apartment was very crumby and just didn’t feel that clean to me, and by the time she left, it looked like a brand new place. It doesn’t hurt that Nermina is now like a friend and always a pleasure to see! Now to only find a way to keep it this way for longer than five hours!

Ok, enough of my randomness for one day! Have a happy Tuesday, y’all!

P.S. Also, be on the lookout for an exciting blog related announcement this week! Can’t wait to share. 🙂

Updates + Books + Recipes + Games

written by Parita Leave a Comment

Ready or not, here comes a random but hopefully informative post!

First up, life updates…

There have been some changes at work, which means more/elevated responsibilities for me. This also means I’ll be travelling to Rome, Italy for a week in March. So much going on!

I recently shared on Instagram that Vishnu’s on night float for the rest of this week and next. This usually throws me off, but this time around, I’m really trying not to let it get to me. I know we’re only a few days in, but I think I’m doing a great job. Positive self-talk + slowing down a little really helps.

The one thing throwing me off has nothing to do with night float. Kaiden’s been waking up earlier than usual, and it’s exhausting! He wanted to party from 1-2 am the other night! Silly boy! When he wakes up before 5:30, I bring him in our room, so we can both get a little bit more rest. I don’t know if that’s the best move because now he literally points to our room and then our bed. It’s like he wakes up just so he can come sleep with me! Not necessarily the best habit, but I kind of love it. He’s such a cute snugly bug when he sleeps! We shall see where this takes us…

Now on to a few book recommendations!

My 2019 goal is to read 24 books. That’s two per month. I’m a little behind at this point but hoping I can make up for it soon.

Here’s what I’ve read so far…

No Bad Kids by Janet Lansbury
Becoming by Michelle Obama

Up next I’ll be reading One Day in December by Josie Silver.

Now, get ready because you’re going to get a little hungry…here are a few recipes I’ve recently tried and LOVED!

IP Lasagna Soup by The Chutney Life – I’ve made this twice now, and it’s been a hit both times!

IP Masala Khichdi by The Chutney Life – not surprising…another fav! Love the masala aspect to this recipe!

Energy Balls by The Lean Green Bean – you guys know I love Lindsay’s recipes! This one is full of all the good stuff and both adult and kid tested and approved. Kaiden ate two balls last night and probably would’ve had more if I let him!

I got a few messages on Instagram about the games I shared in my stories over the weekend. We played Codenames Pictures (so fun, so hard!), 5 Second Rule (so intense…leaves me so flustered and goofy!), and the age old favorite, Cards Against Humanity. All great options to have on hand for game night!

Guys, I wanted to share some new makeup products I’m using too, but I’m tired and feel like the more responsible thing would be be to go the f to sleep! HA! I’ll share a roundup very soon.

Happy Valentine’s Thursday, y’all! Don’t forget to eat a little chocolate today!

The Post That Was Supposed to Go Out on Friday…

Random Rambles

Sharing a Little ‘ING’

High 5 on a Friday!

High 5 on a Friday!

Checking In

Updates + Books + Recipes + Games

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