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MIS is giving back!

I’ve been blogging for over eight years. MIS started as a place for me to document my life and interests at the time, essentially a hobby blog. Fast forward to today and not much has changed on that front. I’m still very much a hobby blogger, but now my focus is more on motherhood than anything else.

I never really tried to figure out the business side of blogging and how to turn my little piece of the internet into a money-making machine. I was never (and still am not) very good at marketing myself and/or MIS. I don’t like being in anyone’s face, so I just assumed the people who wanted/needed to find me would. LOL! And as far as income is concerned, I make a VERY VERY modest amount from MIS. Like so modest that Vishnu has no clue what I make on monthly basis. Ha!

With that being said, I made the decision earlier this week to donate all of MIS’ advertising income to a new charity every month!

Again, it’s important to note that this isn’t a huge sum of money, but I’m excited to do what I can with what I have/earn!

I was inspired to do this by Modi Toys co-founder Avani Sarkar. I figured if she, a full-time corporate working mom, wife, and entrepreneur, can do all that she does and run multiple Modi Joy charity events every year, I can surely do my part.

Vishnu and I donate to a number of organizations over the course of the year, but I really want my little hobby blog to stand for something more. I want my readers to feel like they’re a part of something bigger with me! Sure, reading my antics is fun (or so I hope!), but how much more fun would it be knowing that your 1-3 minutes of MIS reading was contributing to a cause? 😊

SOOOO…the first organization I’ll be donating to is March of Dimes. I volunteered with MoD in college and have always loved and appreciated what they do for moms and babies. This statement really encapsulates it well!

March of Dimes fights for the health of all moms and babies. We’re advocating for policies to protect them. We’re working to radically improve the health care they receive. We’re pioneering research to find solutions. We’re empowering families with the knowledge and tools to have healthier pregnancies. By uniting communities, we’re building a brighter future for us all.

So I hope you’ll continue to support me and spread the word about MIS because every click, pageview, shout out, etc. counts, and together I know we’re going to give back to some awesome organizations!

As always, thank you for taking the time to read here and follow my life/thoughts. I don’t think I’ll ever fully be able to show how much it means to me but just know it’s a lot! LOTS OF LOVE!

MIS Turns 8!

written by Parita Leave a Comment

I cannot believe this little blog of mine is 8 years old today! Insanity!

I literally created MIS the same night I had a conversation with one of my best friends about how much I loved reading healthy living blogs and had the itch to start my own. She suggested I just do it, so I hung up the phone, finished cleaning, and Googled ‘how to start a blog.’ Within an hour, MIS was born!

This is pretty indicative of how I work. If I really put my mind to something, it’s going to happen one way or another. Also, it’s probably worth mentioning that I’m very much a ‘get it to 80% and take it from there’ vs. a ‘everything has to be perfect before I start’ kind of person. Speaking of…when I first launched MIS, it had a brown background and itty bitty font. You live and you learn!

Anyways, I’ve had big and small goals/visions for this little space of mine from the very beginning. Some I’ve accomplished, some I’m still working on, and some have changed completely. The one thing that remains the same is that I will always be true to who I am here. Anyone who reads my blog will get the most authentic and real version of me.

I have no idea what the next year has in store for MIS, but as long as it continues to include ‘meeting’ really cool people and getting to share my everyday stories and thoughts with people who want to connect, it’s going to be a great one!

THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart for all the support and love over the years! Means more than you’ll ever know. 🙂

Here’s to year 9…

The Promise of a New Year

written by Parita Leave a Comment

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I’m one of those walking cliches who loves the New Year. I’m all about January 1. If nothing else, it’s the promise it brings that excites me. January is also my birthday month, and there’s something about turning a year older at the start of the year that puts you in a ‘get my shit together’ mode!

If I’m being honest, I also love Mondays and the 1st of any month. The whole idea of a clean slate gets me every time!

I shared on Instagram a few posts back that my intention for 2019 is to take care of myself better, chose myself every day, and ultimately, ‘come home.’

In terms of the how, I plan to be better about managing my time so I have more time for me – to read, to write, to cook more complicated meals, to connect with Vishnu and friends/family, etc. I’ve lacked focus in the last year or so, and I plan to work on that so I can do the things that bring me joy. I’ll share more as I refocus (lol!) myself.

In terms of goals (because, yes, I set those too!), I have a few that I want to work on throughout the year (see below). These are more so focused on daily habits and intentions. And then for bigger projects, I’m setting monthly goals. For example, in January, I’d like to tackle our file folder box thingy. It’s overflowing and filled with very old files and paperwork. Need to get that thing in order!

Ok, so as far as my daily goals/habits are concerned, here they are…

Drink ~80 oz of water every day.
No technology 30 minutes before bed and within 30 minutes of waking.
Go to bed by 10 pm every night and wake up before Kaiden (weekends are the exception).
Decrease sugar and dairy consumption (consider ‘worth it’ moments). More to come on this one very soon!
Speak and think as positively as possible. Good things are happening (even when you can’t ‘see’ them) and challenges are temporary. Look for the silver lining.

I think all of these are pretty doable. I’ll share more throughout the year on my progress.

And finally, I have a few goals in terms of this blog and my MIS Instagram page. Honestly, the biggest thing I want to accomplish is sharing other people’s stories. I’m one person with a limited view, and there are so many other inspiring and amazing people out there with meaningful life stories. And I want to share those! Be on the lookout.

Other than that, I plan to continue to share with as much authenticity as possible. I love following and connecting with others who are raw and open, so in 2019, I want to bring more of that to my platforms. Life’s too short to only share the pretty slices of pie!

From the very bottom of my heart, thank you for reading and following MIS! Let’s make 2019 a great year!

Ready for Spring + Woe is Us + Moment App

written by Parita 8 Comments

This isn’t meant to be a ‘woe is us’ post. I think everyone is ready for Spring – warmer weather, more sunshine, etc.

But woe is us, you guys! Kaiden has hand, foot, mouth disease. Ay ay ay! It all started on Friday morning when he woke up with a slight fever and bumps on his face. By the time Saturday morning rolled around, I knew something was up. He had a 102 degree fever, the bumps were super red and more pronounced, and he just wasn’t being himself. I’m so thankful our doctor’s office is open for a few hours on Saturdays. We got there just as they opened and were able to see a doctor ASAP. Unfortunately, because it’s a viral infection, there’s no real treatment. You just have to wait it out 7-10 days (or more).

The more I observed Kaiden this weekend the more I realized what a little trooper he is. I mean, he’s obviously in pain to some degree and shows it, but he’s still in a great mood overall. If it were me, I would make sure everyone and their mamas knew I was miserable. My little love bug!

We’re super lucky Vishnu’s mom been able to stay with us. She flew in to help us out when Kaiden was sick a couple of weeks ago. We asked her to stay for two weeks because I had team meetings and didn’t want to risk Kaiden getting sick and having to stay home from daycare that week. When Kaiden presented with these new symptoms, we asked her if she minded staying another 1.5 weeks so we could keep him home until our trip to Costa Rica. She loves her grandson and is happy to help and spend time with him so it worked out. I thanked my lucky stars multiple times this weekend for my MIL. She’s the best!

I’ll be honest, it’s hard to stay upbeat when your baby is sick for months at a time. It’s miserable on multiple levels actually. HOWEVER, I had a major revelation the other day. I can either think very negative thoughts and fall deeper and deeper into a self-imposed funk, OR I can practice what I preach and think more positively, live in a state of thanks, and take things one day at a time. Your thoughts really are everything. Period. It’s amazing what a slightly stern self-pep talk can do. And in reality, even in the midst of this current chaos, we have so much to be thankful for…SO MUCH!

To take it one step further, when I started thinking about what else put me in a funk, I realized social media and my phone usage definitely has something to do with it. I downloaded the Moment app and am hoping it helps curb my Instagram time. For me, it’s not about staying off social media because it makes me sad or puts me in comparison mode. In fact, scrolling through Instagram truly brings me some joy, especially since I’ve become pickier about who I follow. Tracking my phone usage is about more than just that. I don’t want to be on my phone as much as I am and want to be picker about how I fill my ‘free’ time. I always make excuses about not blogging, not reading, not meditating, not keeping in touch with friends and family, etc. As I’ve come to realize, it’s not about the absence of time but about how I choose to spend it. Essentially, I’m hoping Moment keeps me honest and off my phone. I’ll share my takeaways soon!

If you made it to the end of this post, thank you! Consistent blogging hasn’t really been top of mind as of late, but it felt good to share and get my thoughts on screen.

Happy Monday! Make it a good one. 🙂

Weekend Recap + Sunshine Blogger Award

written by Parita 10 Comments

Weekend Recap

Honestly, I have nothing exciting to report about our weekend. I just wanted to share that we survived. Ha!

On Friday night, Vishnu and I caught up on the latest episodes of The Big Bang Theory and How to Get Away with Murder. And that was pretty much it!

Kaiden and I held down the fort at home on Saturday while Vishnu worked a 24 hour shift. I wish I could say we had a blast and did lots of fun things, but unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. Both Kaiden and I were super congested, so there was lots of sneezing, coughing, blowing of noses, drooling (only K!), etc.

Sunday was pretty low key too. My sister came over for a few hours. We watched the Super Bowl and the heartbreaking This Is Us episode (I tear up just thinking about it).

If nothing else, please send some healthy thoughts our way!

Sunshine Blogger Award

The sweet Shoma from The Mommy Spice blog nominated me for the Sunshine Blogger Award. With this, comes the fun responsibility of answering some questions…

What is your favorite part about blogging?
I have two – 1. the awesome community and 2. getting to use my creative side, mostly in the form of writing.

When did you start blogging?
I started blogging in January 2011. I was cleaning my kitchen and talking to one of my BFFs about how I wanted to start a blog but would likely wait a few months. When she asked why not now, something clicked. Later that evening, I went online, did a quick Google search, and started MIS. The rest is history!

What 4 bloggers inspire you?
Brittany @ A Healthy Slice of Life
Sarah @ The Shu Box
Dixya @ Food, Pleasure, and Health
Katie @ Mama the Reader

Where is your favorite place you’ve ever been?
Turks and Caicos – hands down! Vishnu and spent five nights there for our honeymoon, and that was enough to make me fall in love! It’s so beautiful and relaxing. The crystal clear water and pristine beaches sealed the deal for me. Looking forward to visiting again sometime in the future!

What is your favorite TV Show?
This Is Us takes the cake. I love how real, raw, emotional, and well-written it is. The Pearsons are pretty much family now. And please don’t get me started on last night’s post-Super Bowl episode. I have yet to recover. My heart is absolutely wrecked! Let’s just say some ugly crying happened, and I may or may not be on the brink of tears even today.

Do you have any kids, if so how old?
I have a baby boy, Kaiden, who is just over seven months old. The apple of my eye!

What is your favorite food?
Soft, gooey chocolate chip cookies. Preferably with a cold glass of almond milk.

What is your favorite activity to do on the weekends?
Aside from spending quality time with Kaiden, I enjoy reading and eating out. After having a baby, these activities rarely happen on the weekdays, so I try to enjoy them as much as possible on the weekends.

Is blogging a hobby or your full time job?
MIS is a hobby blog, but sometimes it really does feel like a full time job!

And lastly, if you could visit any place in the world, where would it be and why?
One of my coworkers just got back from Thailand, and after hearing her stories and seeing her pictures, I want to travel there ASAP.

This is 34 + This is 7

written by Parita 12 Comments

I turned 34 yesterday. Those who know me well know birthdays aren’t my thing. But this one? This one was special for a couple of reasons – 1. it’s my first as a mom and 2. it marks the beginning of my journey into my mid-thirties.

So what does 34 look like? Well, see below!

This is 34…

Lots of loving and thoughtful messages from my favorite people!

Date night with the hubs followed by promptly falling asleep couch as soon as we got home.

Brunch with the family where Kaiden stole the show with his cuteness.

A fun lunch with my awesome coworkers where we chatted over delicious Mediterranean food.

This is Us, slice of birthday cake, and a few tears!

An early bedtime because I know an early wake up call is inevitable. But hey, at least my human alarm clock loves me and is super adorable. 🙂

34 is going to be great. I feel it in my bones!

This is 7…

MIS turned seven this past Sunday. Can you believe it?! So much of my life ‘exists’ in this space. It’s kind of incredible.

Year seven brings with it some exciting news. I finally figured out a vision of sorts for MIS. After thinking long and hard this past weekend, I determined that MIS fits in the motherhood lifestyle blog niche. The topics I write about will continue to include things like health/fitness, quick recipes, personal development, marriage, etc., except now they’ll have a slight motherhood flair to them and a voice that’s as real and vulnerable as they come.

For this space, year seven is going to be all about honesty, humor, adventure, story telling, courage, and FUN!

For those who have followed my journey from the beginning, THANK YOU! And for those who are new around here, WELCOME!

Let’s make year seven the best one yet!

Weekend Recap – Brunch, Good Friends, and Productivity

written by Parita 12 Comments

What a great weekend! I feel like I crossed a few things off my to-do list, laughed a lot, ate some delicious food, and even got some time to myself (I credit the beautiful weather!). I also feel like for the first time in a long time, I was more exhausted than ever. I took multiple naps and could’ve slept for a lot longer than I did. The baby must be going through a growth spurt!

Here’s what the weekend looked like when broken down a bit more…

FRIDAY

Friday consisted of working…a lot. We have quite a few big projects running simultaneously right now, and with that, there’s no shortage of things to do. I worked until 5 pm and the logged back on a few hours later to finish up a few things. Ay!

Vishnu worked a 12 hour overnight shift, so I was on my own from about 6:30 pm to 8 am (Saturday). While I didn’t have an exciting Friday night agenda lined up, I also didn’t expect to fall asleep on the couch while watching Friends. But that’s what happened!

SATURDAY

I was up and at it at 6:30 am on Saturday morning. Why? Because I had big plans for the day – cleaning (ok, so this one isn’t that grand), brunch with Aparna, and a girls’ evening with my work wife Thea.

After cleaning and putting Vishnu to bed, I headed to brunch at Wishbone with Aparna and her husband. Aparna and I ‘met’ a few years ago through our blogs and have been trying to meet up in in person for almost two years. We finally had the opportunity this weekend when her and her husband were in town for her nephew’s birthday party. I know this is going to sound really strange to all the non-bloggers out there, but I truly consider her a good friend. And our meet-up proved exactly why. Even though we’ve never met in person before, I truly felt like I was catching up with someone I’ve known for a really long time. She’s exactly how she appears on her social media channels – thoughtful, kind, energetic, etc. I wish she lived closer and not four hours away in Michigan!

Sadly, this is the only picture I (well, technically Aparna) captured this weekend!

After brunch, I came home, hung out with Vishnu for a bit (before he went back to sleep because he had to work all day Sunday as well), and watched more Friends/napped on the couch until my friend/co-worker Thea messaged me and said she was downstairs.

For those who haven’t been reading MIS for very long, Thea and I work together and have known each other for almost five years. And over those five years, we’ve gone from being just co-workers to growing super close. I honestly can’t imagine my time in Chicago without Thea, and our girls’ night was a great example of why. We literally sat around our kitchen island and chatted for over five hours…nonstop! We chatted about everything from work to makeup to our families to you name it. And mind you, we talk on a regular basis – not always about personal stuff, but Thea is a constant in my daily life!

Vishnu, Thea, and I ended Saturday with dinner at Seoul Taco. So much yum!

SUNDAY

Sunday started with another 6:30 am wake up call because that’s when Vishnu’s alarm went off. Like I said, he had a full day of work ahead of him, so I figured I’d get up and start my day too.

After a quick bite to eat (2 of these muffins), I headed down to our gym for 20 minutes on the EFX machine + this pregnancy kettle bell workout.

Next on my list of things to tackle – Target + grocery shopping.

And then it was sister time. Aekta came over and we quickly headed to brunch at Beatrix. It was such a fun way to spend the afternoon/early evening and reminded me of how lucky we are to have Aek and Adarsh SO close.

After Aekta left, I finished a few more errands and then settled in to watch the last two episodes of Spring Baking Championship on Food Network. I love cooking competitions!

And that was my weekend in a nutshell (aka blog post)!

Happy Monday! Make it a good one. 🙂

MIS is giving back!

MIS Turns 8!

The Promise of a New Year

Ready for Spring + Woe is Us + Moment App

Weekend Recap + Sunshine Blogger Award

This is 34 + This is 7

Weekend Recap – Brunch, Good Friends, and Productivity

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