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High 5 on a Friday

Guys, how is it already January 17, 2020!? It’s really wigging me out with how fast this year is already flying by! And honestly, when I look at my calendar, it doesn’t look like it’s stopping any time soon!

Anyway, let’s get right to it – my five things this Friday…

One

My sister and I are headed to LA next weekend to visit my grandparents, and I could not be any more excited – to see them and spend some quality time with my sister! We don’t have any major plans…just trying to squeeze in some authentic Mexican food! My grandparents live with my aunt and uncle, so it’ll be so nice to spend some time with them too.

Unfortunately, I’m not taking Kaiden with me. He’ll get some good old quality time with his dada. I originally wanted to, but then thought against it when I realized I would have to do everything on my own. Of course, my sister would be there, but I don’t expect her to wake up two hours early (time difference) with us or go comfort a crying Kaiden in the middle of the night like I would of Vishnu. Not to mention all of his stuff, etc., etc. This would not allow for optimal quality time with my grandparents, and that’s the whole reason for the trip. Maybe I’ll regret this decision once I’m there, but I’m thinking it’ll be a-ok!

ALSO, on a related but separate note, I’ll finally get to try Nishi Mami’s Cookie’s when I’m in LA! I placed my order with the other day, and I’m so excited to do a taste test with the family! More to come!

Two

I owe you guys a 2020 reading/book update! I’m deep into the Nicholas Sparks’ book that I didn’t actually read (returned the other one to the library), and I’m really like it. It’s called Two by Two, and it’s a little different than his past books. Still very romantic and dramatic, but it has a different/normal feel to it. I’ll share more when I’m done!

Speaking of the library, two of the books I placed holds on are ready for pickup – The Next Person You Meet in Heaven and Ghosted! I’m so excited, but also a little nervous because this means I need to get my read on and fast! Maybe this is the fire I needed under my butt to make nightly reading a priority.

Three

Vishnu and I never got K a Christmas present. That was very intentional. He got so many new toys from his grandparents, so it was a little unnecessary. My BIL and his fiancé got K a set of these Manve magnetic tiles. Kaiden did really well with them at first, and then he was getting increasingly frustrated every time they stuck to one another. It was getting to the point where I just had to hide them. I then noticed that K played with Magnatiles at school, so I asked his teacher if he gets upset when they fall apart or when things don’t go his way. Of course, he’s at school so he’s an angel. Ha! I asked Vishnu if he thought K would do better with actual Magnatiles, and he said, “Let’s find out.” So we got him this set and called it his belated Christmas gift. He still gets frustrated but not as much. I can that a win! Now Vishnu and I can play with the other set… 🙂

Four

I’ve talked about it a bit on Instagram, but Kaiden has been LOVING his weekly soccer class. We went to a free ‘tryout’ class when he was 18 months, and it was a disaster. But now? He runs around on his own and sometimes doesn’t even need or ask for us!

It’s kind of cool to see your kid excel and enjoy something without you having to push it. We’ll see how long this lasts, but for now, I really enjoy watching him concentrate, laugh, and have fun on Sunday mornings.

FIVE

I recently shared a post on Instagram about my workout system. Essentially, what I fall back on when motivation isn’t quite enough. If you recall, I shared a fitness challenge I did with my friends a while back. Well, now I’m doing that same challenge but with Vishnu, my sister, my BIL, my other BIL, and his fiancé. It’s a family affair!

Essentially, we have to get at least 12 workouts in every month. A workout = 30 minutes of intentional activity. You can’t double up. If you don’t get 12 in, you owe each person who does $5. Simple!

Hoping this, along with my system, keeps me accountable all year long!

Tell me…what are you reading right now? I’m building out my 2020 list and want to include some good reads this year!

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The Post That Was Supposed to Go Out on Friday…

written by Parita Leave a Comment

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!

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!

Let’s Play Catch-up

written by Parita 1 Comment

It’s been a while since I’ve just typed and shared random thoughts. Actually, it’s been a while since I’ve posted. Something I hope to change in 2019! I want to get back to a more regular posting schedule (at least 2x/week) because more than anything, sharing here on MIS is what brings me the most joy.

Between the blog and Instagram, I share lots of little tidbits about our life. I’ll just let this be a free flow type post and see where it takes me!

LIFE UPDATES

A couple of weeks ago, I shared on IG that we were going to wean Kaiden off the pacifier. I even asked for top tips. Wellll…my grand plan didn’t go as planned. I chickened out that weekend because Vishnu was on a 24 hour call on Saturday. The following weekend didn’t make much sense either since K got sick on Friday, and I flew out to Vancouver on Sunday. We plan to tackle this in 2019!

For anyone who is planning to wean soon, top tips were to just go cold turkey (expect a few days of sleepless nights) or to cut the tip and let your kid wean himself/herself off. I think we’ll just go cold turkey because Kaiden seems to adjust better when he doesn’t see the thing we’re taking away.

Speaking of Kaiden being sick, it turns out he had an ear infection. I got home at 2 pm on Thursday, noticed that Kaiden had a fever, called the doctor’s office, and got an appointment for 3:15 pm. So glad we went that day because my poor bub’s ear didn’t look great at all. He’s on antibiotics now and on the mend! Whatever he had must’ve been a beast of a sickness because it took down my sister, my dad, and Vishnu. Fingers and toes crossed that I don’t get sick this time around!

Vancouver was great. The first couple of days were kind of rough for me because I felt horrible for not being home with K. From a work perspective, our conference was awesome. I had a few small speaking roles, and I think I tackled them ok. From a food perspective, I’m pretty sure I ate my bodyweight in meals. Everything was so fresh and delicious. Some of the best vegetarian meals I’ve had in a long time!

In terms of other updates, Kaiden and I leave for Atlanta on Thursday. I can’t wait! This will be a bit of different trip because I’m off of work 100% of the time. My mom also took some time off, so we’re planning to do some fun Christmasy stuff with K! Vishnu arrives a week or so later because he has to do that dreaded thing called work. 🙁 We’re getting by telling ourselves that this is our last Christmas apart. Fingers crossed!

STUFF UPDATES

I finished Pachinko on my way to and from Vancouver. What an incredible book. I didn’t expect to love it as much as I did, but the story really drew me in. It’s about a family, four generations of Koreans, living in Japan and everything they endured. Highly recommend it!

Next up, I’m reading Little Fires Everywhere. Can’t wait to get engrossed in another great and highly recommended book!

Vishnu got this toy chest so we can store all of Kaiden’s random toys in our living room without a huge mess. I must say, I didn’t think we’d end up with elephant themed decor outside of K’s room, but I kind of like it!

Andddd that’s about it. Please send some healthy vibes our way. Happy Monday!

High 5 on a Friday

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Two

Three

Four

FIVE

The Post That Was Supposed to Go Out on Friday…

High 5 on a Friday!

High 5 on a Friday!

Let’s Play Catch-up

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