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Friday Things + Favorite Links

I’m coming at you a little later than usual on this warm and sunny Friday (it’s 80+ degrees in Chicago today!), but hey, I made it!

Yesterday was one of those days that started out great and ended with me asleep on the couch at 8 pm. I just couldn’t keep my eyes open, and my energy levels were so low. Thankfully, that all changed this morning when I got to sleep in for an extra hour while Vishnu watched Kaiden. However, as I got out of bed and walked into the living room, I felt a little guilty for ‘sleeping in.’ When I mentioned this to Vishnu, he told me not to. “You got up at 1:00 am and 5:45 am, babe.” Even still…little pangs of guilt remained for a bit. This mommyhood business is a funny thing, I tell you.

I suppose it’s a good thing I woke up for those feeds, as Vishnu works a week of nights starting tomorrow. Wish me luck! Honestly, I’m not too worried. By the time Vishnu leaves, Kaiden will already be asleep, so it’s just that 1a/2a feed that I’ll have to tackle on my own. We shall see… 🙂

Oh also, speaking of Vishnu and work. I was totally wrong about his schedule last weekend. I thought he worked a 24 shift from Saturday am to Sunday am, but it turns out he only had to work a 12 hour shift on Saturday (8a to 8p). Finding that out made my weekend! Also, I should probably look at my calendar every now and then, as I had it correctly noted in there. Oops!

I started Dr. Brene Brown’s newest book this week. It’s called Braving the Wilderness, and like all of her other books, it’s fantastic. I’m on chapter 3, and her words are resonating already. I highly recommend checking out her work. She has the 5th most viewed TED talk in the world, she’s written four books, there are countless articles/interviews you can Google and read…the options are limitless. Her work is truly life changing.

So I shared in last week’s post that we got an Instant Pot. I’ve used it three times now, and I can honestly say I like it a lot. While not every recipe is ‘instant,’ it does cut down on cooking time and the number of dishes needing to be washed. I can tell this new device is going to take lot of experimentation and patience to learn, but once we get it, I can see us using it every day. I mean, my IP lasagna soup turned into IP pasta, but it tasted delicious so there’s that!

Other than that, this week was pretty normal…ish! I have a handful of weeks left before I go back to work, so just trying to enjoy every second with my little guy. More on that coming soon!

And for my favorite links of the week…

Marriage after kids…kind of a different ball game!

Totally on board with this way of life

So simply put but so true

#3 and #8 really ring true

Problem solving v. question posing – love this

Meditation, weight lifting/yoga, walking = happiness

“To know if sparks are going to fly, Joel says, nothing is more telling than an old-fashioned face-to-face.” ABSOLUTELY!

Sometimes the best of intentions have severe consequences

LOL…yes to all!

How delicious does this look and sound? And it’s vegan!

It’s squash season, y’all!

Cue the tears (and no, we are not giving K a brother or sister any time soon!)

Have a wonderful weekend!

No portion of this post is sponsored. However, there are affiliate links included. There is no extra cost to you, but I do receive a small commission on anything you buy through my links. Thank you for reading and supporting My Inner Shakti!

Friday Favorites

written by Parita 1 Comment

I don’t know if it’s because I now write a dedicated Friday Favorites post every week or what, but the days are flying by. How is it already Friday?!

Now that I think about it, it’s probably because we are in the final countdown to baby. That makes more sense, huh?

Speaking of final countdown, Vishnu and I are on a mission to use our time this weekend getting ready for Baby K. We’re making a trip to Ikea (at 37.5 weeks pregnant…wish me luck!), we’re setting up the Pack n’ Play and Rock n’ Play, we’re installing the car seat, etc.

We’re also celebrating our 5 year wedding anniversary (a week early) because Vishnu works next weekend and every other weekend in July. Thank goodness my mama will be here next Saturday! My sister also reminded me she has weekends off in July, so that will be nice and super helpful. Phew!

Anyways, let’s move on to this weeks Friday Favorites…

I unexpectedly found baby shopping with Vishnu at BuyBuyBaby really fun! What should’ve been a stressful trip ended up making us laugh. We couldn’t get over how companies market to and hone in on parents’ biggest fears. It’s ridiculous! Also, strollers…SO EXPENSIVE! And don’t get me started on baby clothes. I’m sorry, but there’s no way I’m shilling out $25 for an outfit my baby will wear 2-3 times before outgrowing it. Oy vey!

My heart was so happy when my mom sent me this picture last Sunday. My parents, my grandparents, and Vishnu’s parents met up for a Father’s Day dinner at an Atlanta Indian restaurant. So sweet!

Thea and I met up with two of our former coworkers at Pizzeria Via Stato for a birthday lunch, and the pizza I ordered was EVERYTHING. The cracker thin crust was perfection. As in I ate the whole thing! #noregrets

My current after work routine is pretty amazing. Me + the couch + Friends. Every. Single. Day.

When I see elote on a menu, there’s a 99.9% chance I’ll be ordering it. With that being said, how delicious and fresh does this recipe look? Don’t have a spiralizer? No worries…just use a potato peeler to create your zucchini ribbons!

For my readers with an interest in leadership articles/books, you will LOVE this site – Leadership Now. I literally spent 45 minutes clicking, reading, and being inspired.

And to a few articles from the week…

Love these heartwarming arranged marriage stories!

The topic of self-care is having it’s time in the limelight recently. This article really hits home with 6 great tips.

Baby K isn’t going to be talking any time soon, but I definitely plan to keep these statements/phrases in the back of my mind.

Happy Friday! Make it (and the weekend) a great one.

Friday Favorites

written by Parita 3 Comments

Another Friday, another favorites post!

Overall, it was a good week. I got to spend more time than usual with my sister, I had a great doctor’s appointment, and for once, I took it easy in the mornings and didn’t rush my way to work. Oh, and the weather in Chicago is BEAUTIFUL. What more can one ask for?! Only that the weekend continues in the same direction. 🙂

We don’t have any major weekend plans. We’re still in the middle of researching strollers, so Vishnu and I will make a BuyBuyBaby trip after work today to test drive a few of the options we’ve been eyeing. Oh how Friday nights have changed! Vishnu’s working another 24 hour shift on Saturday, so I’m hanging out with Thea. We have delicious brunch plans I can’t wait for! And we have no real plans on Sunday…maybe hang out with my sister and BIL for a bit, as they both (finally!) have the day off.

Anyways, enough about that. Let’s move on to some Friday Favorites…

I already said this above, but spending time with my sister is one of my favorite things to do. Every time we hang out, I’m reminded of how lucky we are to have her and Adarsh so close. Aekta is the kind of person you can’t help but love and adore (not that I’m biased or anything). She’s also been so supportive throughout my pregnancy. In fact, every Friday, she’ll call to check in on my emotional and physical state. Love her!

Every Marc & Angel post resonates with me to some degree, but I particularly loved this one. #1, 2, and 3 = spot on for me!

On Monday, I wrote about ‘Putting the Universe’s Words into Action‘ and committed to maintaining a peaceful and loving mindset throughout the week. While I can’t say I was 100% successful, I was able to avoid angry thoughts 85% of the time. Not too bad! Oddly, my favorite situations involved walking by smokers and sending them positive ‘quitting’ vibes…all while holding my breath. This certainly beats my ‘what a f’ing disgusting habit’ thoughts. Ha!

I tried two new recipes this week (and forgot to photograph both…oops). I highly recommend you put both of these on your upcoming meal plans!

Apparently I wanted spicy food this week…?

Also, I’m definitely putting these brownies on my weekend to make list. YUM!

It may seem a little weird to be sharing this as a favorite, but I now truly love our new garbage can. I didn’t in the beginning and honestly thought it was a waste of money, but over time, it’s grown on me and proven to be quite convenient. There’s a sensor that opens the lid when you wave your hand over it (keeps everything nice and clean), and there are two compartments – one for trash and one for recycling. The latter is my favorite feature because in a small apartment like ours things can get out of hand quite quickly, and I love that we now have one place for everything. I also love how there are recycling friendly bags that fit perfectly in our new trash can. It’s the little things!

Don’t tell Vishnu about the above, as I may have rolled my eyes a few times and made snarky remarks about his new ‘toy’ when we first set it up!

A couple of more interesting articles from the week…

Daily Practices for Achieving Real Happiness – I’ve never thought about achieving happiness in this way…

To Build Your Resilience, Ask Yourself Two Simple Questions – a great approach in business and in life

And finally, our engagement anniversary was on June 10! We didn’t (and never really do) celebrate in any way, but it was fun to reminisce and think about how far we’ve come. Vishnu and I also realized that June and July are big months for us – legal wedding anniversary, engagement anniversary, actual wedding anniversary, dating anniversary, and Baby K’s birthday!

One of the BEST days ever!

And that’s all she wrote! Have a wonderful Friday + weekend!

A Milk and Cookies Date [7]

written by Parita 7 Comments

I took an unintentional blogging break this past week! It was definitely not planned, but I suppose it’s what I needed given how busy work was this week. Don’t worry, I’ll tell you all about it because it’s about time we caught up over big glasses of milk (we can spike yours!) and some freshly baked chocolate chip cookies!

Given that we haven’t caught up in this way in over three months, I’d give you a huge hug and tell you how great you look. 2017 is definitely your year! I’d then proceed to tell you about the craziness that seems to be my life right now.

I’d first tell you about my team meeting last week. From a work perspective, it was super productive. From a fun perspective, the team definitely bonded while enjoying delicious food, conquering the EscapeHouse, cooking a meal together at The Chopping Block, and so much more. It was a fabulous week that pooped me (and baby) out big time. In fact, I went to bed at 8:20 pm on Wednesday night!

I’d then move on and tell you about all the fun packages/presents the baby and I have received. Ros, my coworker from London, brought super cute onesies, a little hat/gloves, and a stuffed elephant (that I may keep for myself!) with her all the way from South Africa (she was there in December). My friend Purvi sent me a cute mommy t-shirt and Dr. Seuss book. My friend Monica sent me a bunch of pregnancy/parenting books. And my blogging buddy, Dixya, sent me the cutest ‘Future Mommy’ tank. I’ve already worn it three times!

Speaking of gifts, I recently gifted myself a duffel bag from Longchamp. I asked Ros to get it from London because it’s less than half the cost of buying in the states. If you know anyone in Europe, this is a great little trick! Anyways, this bag is awesome – roomy AND stylish! [Fun fact – two of my coworkers also have this same bag…see below!]

Changing topics slightly, I’d tell you about my shopping escapade from this past Saturday. My coworker/good friend Thea and I headed out around noon and shopped until 5:30. I desperately needed some maternity basics, and Thea kindly agreed to take me shopping in her neighborhood. I found exactly what I wanted/needed (for all of you mamas-to-be, I highly recommend Destination Maternity) and then some! This part of our conversation would remind me that I need to fill you guys in about Le Tote (a fashion rental site that also does maternity wear) – coming soon!

Moving on from shopping and spending money, we’d discuss the latest episode of This is Us next. I’d tell you about how I ugly cried through the ENTIRE episode. In fact, I’ve never cried this much watching an episode of television…it was heartbreakingly beautiful. If you don’t watch this show already, you need to get on that ASAP. Just make sure you have a box of tissues handy every week!

And finally, I’d end our conversation with some exciting news. Vishnu and I have our 20 week (even though it will be 21.5 weeks at the time) ultrasound appointment on Friday, and this is when we’ll find out if our baby is a boy or a girl!!! AHH!! We’re hoping to share the fun news with our family in a fun way, so be on the lookout for that post next week!

With that, it’s time to go. We wipe the cookie crumbs off our face and part ways. Until next time!

Your turn – if we got together for milk and cookies, what would you tell me?

Random Friday Thoughts

written by Parita 1 Comment

I’m in a contemplative/sharing mood today, so here are my random Friday thoughts in no particular order…

I usually dislike it when people say this, but it feels very necessary this week…I’ve been waiting for Friday since Monday. Likely because last weekend didn’t feel like a weekend, so I’m looking forward to having 2.25 days to enjoy at my leisure.
Speaking of the weekend, we have some fun plans in the mix. First, Vishnu and I have reservations at Grange Hall Burger Bar. My coworker Erin tells me that the veggie burger is one of the best she’s ever tasted. I confirmed Erin’s opinion of the burger after reading Yelp reviews. Some people went as far as saying this particular burger could potentially turn them into vegetarians! Second, I’m attending the Chicago Women’s March on Saturday morning. I can’t wait to march alongside thousands of other women and allies to protect our rights and civil liberties. Third, my coworker/good friend Thea and her husband along with another friend and her husband are coming over for dinner on Saturday night. I can’t wait to kick back, eat some [hopefully] good food, and play board games! And finally, Sunday is dedicated to rest and prepping for the week ahead.
I’m on a face mask kick right now. Thea recently introduced me to some amazing brands, and my skin is loving the extra attention. I want to use them more consistently before sharing a full review but so far so good!
I can’t believe it’s the end of the Obama presidency. The end of an era if you ask me. Thank you, President Obama, for your leadership and vision. You’ve inspired an entire generation. The next four years will not be the same, but I have high hopes for a bright future.
Is anyone else watching this season of The Bachelor? I am, and it’s just as dramatic as I hoped it would be (one word – Corrine). I particularly enjoy watching because all of my coworkers and my sister watch, so it’s fun to swap notes.
A post like this would feel incomplete without any mention of Chicago weather. You guys, the high on Saturday is 53 degrees!!! I literally whooped when I saw the weather report.
When my friend Erin started wearing a backpack to work a few months ago, I took notice. I decided to jump on the trend and purchased the same bag as Erin. BEST DECISION EVER! Let me explain – Chicago winters are no joke with the layers of clothing you have to put on before stepping outside. A shoulder back doesn’t cut it with a big poofy jacket. Not to mention the back pain that comes with a heavy bag. I’ve been using my new backpack for a week now, and I can’t gush enough. It’s lightweight and cute. Love, love love.
One of my best friends had her baby this week, and she’s the cutest little thing ever! I love her so much already!
We watched a clip from Any Given Sunday at the workshop last weekend, so when I came home, one of the first things I said to Vishnu was that I wanted to watch it sometime soon. The scene we watched was so powerful!
I honestly can’t think of a 10th thought, so I’ll leave you with this – CHEERS TO THE FREAKIN WEEKEND! Make it a great one!

Life Lately, MIS in 2017, and Other Random Stuff

written by Parita 8 Comments

This may very well be my last post of 2016! I CAN’T BELIEVE IT! Where did the year go? I know I say this every year/month/week/day, but with everything we had going on this year, it really did fly.

With that, let’s just get right to it!

LIFE LATELY

Life lately has been pretty cold! But seriously, the weather in Chicago went from bearable to frigid in a matter of days. The one thing I promised myself and Vishnu when we found out we were moving here is that I would keep my weather related complaints to a minimum because there’s literally nothing we can do about it. So far, I’m dealing with it. I don’t love it, but I find that having plans lined up for weeks at a time really helps. As does owning a few soft cuddly blankets!

Ok, enough about the weather.

Have you heard of escape rooms? If not, they’re basically adventure games where you (and the people you’re with) are locked in a room and have to solve a series of puzzles using items/clues in the room to escape in a certain amount of time. Super fun! Vishnu and I went to the EscapeHouse Chicago with some friends last Sunday and had an absolute blast. There were eight of us, and our mission was to stop missiles from striking the White House. We had to uncover two code words in under 60 minutes. We escaped with 13 minutes to spare! If you’re looking for a fun cold weather activity, I highly recommend looking into escape rooms in your city.

Other than that, the weeks leading up to the holidays have been pretty routine. Nothing too exciting happening here!

HOWEVER, the next two weeks are going to make up for that because we’re heading to Hawaii on Saturday and Atlanta the following week! I CAN’T WAIT! I keep checking the forecast in Hawaii because I don’t love what I see…which is lots of rain. But you know what, I’ll take that over snow and freezing temps any day! And I hear that Hawaiian rain tends to be more on and off versus just on…cross your fingers for us! I can’t wait to share more about our trip in the new year!

Speaking of the new year, remember that fun little project I mentioned a while ago (it’s ok if you don’t because even I can’t find the post where I mentioned it)? Well, I’m hoping to unveil it in January…stay tuned!

MIS in 2017

I’ve been thinking a lot about what I want for MIS in 2017. In all honesty, I’m not quite sure. It’s pretty evident that blogging has taken a back seat since our move to Chicago, and to be 100% transparent, I don’t hate it. I still very much love checking in and sharing pieces of our life, things I’m loving, recipes I’m making, etc. With that being said, MIS isn’t going anywhere!

Up until the middle of this year, I blogged three times a week (M, W, F) and that was that. I even had an editorial calendar where I plotted all of my post ideas. While that was awesome at the time, it’s just not going to work for me right now. I do, however, want to implement a loose schedule. For me that means committing to a certain number of posts a week. Right now I’m thinking two, but we’ll see.

The only other hope and dream I have for MIS in 2017 is that my posts continue to be authentic/true to who I am and what’s going on in my life in that moment. The beauty of blogging for me is sharing my story with people all over the world and hoping parts of it resonate at some level. The only way to do that is by being genuine with my writing. So yeah, expect more of that in 2017!

OTHER RANDOM STUFF

I’ll keep this part of my post less wordy!

MAKE THESE COOKIES ASAP! Thank me in 2017!

While you’re at it, try this mug cake too. It’s a Par + Vishnu favorite!

I’ve been dreading the Chicago winter for many reasons, with the main one being dry skin. I wasn’t sure how my normal moisturizer would stand up to the brutal cold and dry air. You guys, if you’re looking for a standout, inexpensive face (and body) cream, look no further. CeraVe is perfection in a jar. I’ve been using it for 2+ years and am still loving it! Your winter skin will thank me.

7 Smart Ways to Give the Gift of Experiences, Not Things

In the midst of holiday chaos, don’t forget about the simple joys in life!

With that, I wish you all a very happy holidays! I hope the next couple of weeks are filled with LOTS of laughter and love. BIG HUGS!

A Milk and Cookies Date [6]

written by Parita 5 Comments

It’s been a minute since our last milk and cookies date! I can’t say I have anything super important to share. There are a few things I want to update you on, so let’s pour ourselves some milk and grab some [chocolate chip…duh!] cookies.

I’m pretty sure the election is (and will be for a very long time) on the minds of pretty much every human alive right now. I keep turning different things over and over in my head because I still can’t grasp how this actually happened. I thought I’d be able to watch the news again after the election was over, but no. Now it’s all about the crazies taking over the White House. If you’re looking for some intellectual/interesting/funny takes on what happened last week, here are a few of my personal recommendations: Hidden Brain Podcast – What Happened?, John Oliver – President-Elect Trump, and Jon Stewart on the election.

And now we can move on to happier things. Like the fact that the weather in Chicago has been incredible. I’ve walked home every day this week! BUT, because there’s always a but when it comes to Chicago weather, we are expecting a 30 degree dip in temperature by tomorrow. Eeek!

With that being said, I can’t freaking wait for our trip to Hawaii! The latest development here is that my BIL and his girlfriend are no longer joining us. It broke my heart when he told us. So much so that I told him to just quit his job and find a new one in the new year. Not exactly an option I suppose! Vishnu keeps reminding me that we have plenty of family vacations ahead of us…I guess he’s right, but still…

For the first time in a long time, I’m not going to Atlanta for Thanksgiving. Instead, both Vishnu and I are taking Wednesday off and relaxing all day and potentially eating a Thanksgiving meal at a fine Chicago restaurant (the thought of cooking all day and doing dishes just doesn’t sound appealing right now, but we’ll see). Then on Thursday, we’re driving to St. Louis to spend a couple of days with my sister, her husband, and his family. I’m really looking forward to it because they’re a fun bunch (and his mom makes delicious South Indian food that I can’t wait to stuff my face with!).

I feel like the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas are going to FLY. Not only are we still pretty busy at work, but Vishnu and I also have at least five different holiday parties/celebrations to attend between the two of us. I haven’t attended a holiday party in what feels like years. The last one we went to ending up being kind of boring because 1. I was new to the organization and 2. no one from my team showed up. But this year will we different, and I CAN’T WAIT! Now to find a couple of cute holiday dresses…

I know there are a million new TV shows to pick from right now, but the one we (Parita AND Vishnu) are obsessed with right now is Parenthood. I started watching the series on Netflix a couple of weeks ago (thanks to my sister!) and am already into season 3. Vishnu started watching more regularly somewhere in the middle of season 2 and is totally hooked now (although I’m sure he wouldn’t put it that way!). You guys! This show is everything. It’s funny, it’s emotional, it’s 100% family-oriented, it’s amazing… Not quite sure why it took me so long to watch it, but I’m so glad I did. Everything from the characters to the story lines to the different sets…I love it all! If you’re looking for binge-worthy show to watch this winter, Parenthood is it. Thank me later!

Well, that’s all I have for our 6th milk and cookies date! I promise I won’t wait so long before arranging our next one.

Happy Friday!

Your turn – What’s the weather like where you live? What are your Thanksgiving and/or Christmas plans this year? What show are you currently obsessed with?

Friday Things + Favorite Links

Friday Favorites

Friday Favorites

A Milk and Cookies Date [7]

Random Friday Thoughts

Life Lately, MIS in 2017, and Other Random Stuff

A Milk and Cookies Date [6]

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