My Inner Shakti

finding strength in everyday things

Disney World 2022: Magic Kingdom + Animal Kingdom

written by Leave a Comment

I’ve been sitting on this Disney post for a while now! I thought I’d type it all out before I forget some of the important details.

Ok, first and foremost, some context about our group. We went with two other families, so there were 10 people total in our group – six adults and four kids (7 yo, 5 yo, 4 yo, and 3 yo).

Where we stayed

We rented a house in the Reunion Resort in Reunion, FL. We decided to stay off property because we 1. wanted to stay altogether and not in separate rooms 2. we inserted a ‘free’ day in between our two park days and figured a house would allow us to relax and have fun (we had a pool), and 3. we preferred having a kitchen and buying groceries to eating out the whole time (a big perk was being able to eat breakfast at home and then pack simple lunches for everyone to eat at the park).

The house we rented sleeps 16, so we had plenty of space. The kids slept in bunk beds (boys in one room, girls in another) and each of the couples got a spacious room to themselves. Everyone had their own bathrooms too.

Free day

Before I talk about Disney itself, I have to say that inserting a free day between park days was the best idea because it allowed us to rest, recuperate, and then go hard one more day. If we had done back to back park days, I think our group would’ve been exhausted and a littler miserable. Even though we went in early October, it was still hot, and I was definitely a sweaty mess at times! We spent our day by/in the pool (in our backyard), and it was so much fun!

Genie, Genie +, Lightening Lanes, and Rider Swap

Ok, so this whole Genie/Genie + thing brought up a lot of discussion as we were planning out our days. I didn’t truly get it until the middle of day 1, so don’t feel silly if you’re like, “What the heck is this?!”

I’m going to share a simple analogy that our group came up with…

Genie is a FREE app and it’s like a highway – everyone is allowed, anyone can access, and in fact, it’s sort of must download and use kind of thing. It tells you what the wait times are for certain rides, it has restaurant info on it, it has a map, etc. The Genie app is basically your one stop shop for all things Disney.

Now, Genie Plus is like the HOV lane. You have to pay to get this service. Essentially, you can reserve your arrival time in advance for one ride at a time using the Lightning Lane. Once you’re checked in for a ride, you can use Genie + to reserve your next ride. It’s not AS simple as that, but it’s a great resource to have when you’re trying to do lots of things in one day. Genie + is not free. I believe we paid $15 per person per day for it. I would highly recommend purchasing this for everyone in your party.

And just to add on another layer to this puzzle, there are rides at each park that have their own lightening lane pass. HOWEVER, if you are not staying at a Disney resort, you can only access this via the app at 8 am (not 7 am like with Genie +). At Magic Kingdom, the ride was Mine Train and at Animal Kingdom it was the Avatar ride/experience.

One little hack that helped us with getting everyone on Avatar was a rider swap. So we had six adults in our party. The three girls basically stood in the regular line for Avatar (about 1 hour and 45 minutes long). We rode the ride, came out, and the guys got to go through the lightening lane line (which was much shorter). While we were in line waiting, they took the kids on another ride. All we had to do was let the attendants at the front know that we wanted to do a rider swap. They did something in our app to get everything to register correctly, and we were good to go.

Pixie Travel

Truthfully, I wasn’t involved at all in booking the parks and all that came with, but my friend Samir (and my friend Monica who went in September) worked with Pixie Travel to build our itinerary. If you’re looking to make the planning process more efficient, I recommend checking them out.

Magic Kingdom

Magic Kingdom was the first park on our itinerary. While we were all exhausted after our day at the park, all of us also had a blast!

Here are the rides/experiences we did…

  • It’s a Small World
  • Pirates of the Carribbean
  • Mine Train*
  • Dumbo
  • Big Thunder Mountain*
  • The Barnstromer* (great beginner roller coaster)
  • Tomorrowland Speedway (would’ve been fun except I was leading our lane and got stuck behind a slow poke!)
  • Jungle Cruise (Kaiden and I didn’t go on this one)
  • Stage show (we happened across this at the castle on our way to a different part of the park)*
  • Parade (this was a fun break for the kids/adults!)*
  • Nighttime fireworks*

*The rides I highly recommend!

Animal Kingdom

Animal Kingdom was an absolute blast! We had so much fun exploring and taking in all the different sights and sounds!

Here are the rides/experiences we did…

  • Lion King show*
  • Finding Nemo show*
  • It’s a Bug’s Life*
  • Safari*
  • Everest* (a roller coaster)
  • Gorilla walk*
  • Avatar* (an immersive roller coaster like experience)

Soooo as you can see, I recommend it ALL! The shows are a great way to be entertained and rest your body and/or cool off from the heat. The rides/experiences are just so well done and fun. Even the simple Gorilla Walk we went on while waiting for our lightening lane time was interesting for everyone!

Overall impression

The last time I went to a Disney park, I was a teenager. Going back as an adult, I didn’t know if it would appeal to me as much as it would to Kaiden. But I was so wrong! They really do know what they’re doing. From the rides, to the customer service, to the cleanliness of the park, to just about everything. The magic that’s present and created throughout is so fun.

Misc. tips

Strollers – If you’re renting strollers at the park, which I highly recommend you do, even if you think your kid can walk the whole time, definitely figure out how the strollers work beforehand. And try to do all the adjustments beforehand as well. It’ll save you time when you get to the park.

Dole Whip – Dole Whip is as good as they make it sound! Unfortunately, they were out of the pineapple kind while we were there, but I tried the strawberry, and it was delicious. They also have alcoholic versions…just saying!

Magic Kingdom nighttime fireworks – While this was an amazing fireworks show, and super cool to see at a Disney park, my personal advice is to leave a little early and not stay for the whole thing. You could even position yourself near an exit and watch from there and then jet out. We got out semi-early, and the crowd behind us was insane. Not something I wanted to get stuck in with a tired kid.

Pack food and take coolers – There are plenty of restaurants and fast food type places in the parks, but you can bring your own food and I would highly recommend doing this. We packed PB&J sandwiches, snacks, fruit, and water/drinks for everyone. Hunger could hit while you’re waiting in a long line, and while that’s fine for adults (for the most part!), for kids it’s just not. I’m so glad we did this!

Freeze water bottles and/or any drinks the night before – This was a handy little tip someone shared with us. Freeze water bottles the night before so that when you’re ready to drink them at the park, they’re nice and cold and stay that way the whole time.

That about sums up our Disney trip! Let me know if you have any questions. Happy to help!

Naples, FL – Food, Pool, Fun

written by Leave a Comment

A couple of weeks ago, Vishnu and I, along with 18 other people, headed down to Naples, FL to celebrate a bunch of people in the group turning 40 this year. This trip was like a year in the making and the celebration definitely exceeded any expectations any of us had.

Here’s a snapshot of where we stayed, what we did, and where we ate!

P.S. This may look like a really simple vacay, but that was by design. The goal was to spend time together and just have fun. Our good friend Naveen planned the entire thing…down to the beautiful personalized menus at every dinner. If you need a party planner, I know an amazing one!

Where we stayed

We stayed at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort. Everything about this property was on point. From the clean and spacious rooms, to the breakfast restaurant, to the accommodating staff. It was truly a luxurious three nights!

And if you’re a beach person, there’s a shuttle that departs every hour on the hour that takes people to the Ritz beach resort.

What we did

For two out of the three mornings we were there, my best friend Roshni and I got up and worked out. The gym was nice and included everything we needed to do a couple of sweaty workouts.

Then, after a leisurely breakfast the hotel restaurant with a larger group of people, we would all head to our rooms to get ready for the pool. We literally spent 5-6 hours at the pool on both Friday and Saturday. There are plenty of pool chairs for guests, but we had a couple of cabanas, so it worked out well.

Then, we would go back to relax, shower, and get ready for dinner.

On our second night (dinner was at the Beach resort), we had a dance party that lasted until 2 am! It was THE best. One of our friends was the DJ, and we danced to everything from pop, R&B, rap, hip hop to garba and Bollywood. IT WAS A BLAST!

And on our last night, we played Empire in the hotel lobby for a couple of hours. SO fun!

Where we ate

Ria – delicious Latin American food; restaurant located on property

Lemonia – where we started every morning…with a delicious breakfast. You can order a la carte or opt for the buffet.

We had dinner at the beach resort, but it was more of a special event than a restaurant. If you’re going with a large party, I highly recommend contacting the hotel to see if they can arrange a special meal just for your party. It was quite the dining experience with multiple courses and wine pairings too. And as delicious as everything was, the dessert was the MOST delicious. A small trio of chocolate desserts – right up my alley!

Sails – our last dinner was at Sails. Naveen organized the menu ahead of time, and all of the options were delicious. The food had a blended European vibe, and the ambiance was very elegant. A lovely way to end our trip

And that is our trip to Naples in a nutshell. An amazing celebration of turning 40 and lifelong friendships!

Girls Weekend in Asheville

written by 2 Comments

A couple of weeks ago, I went to Asheville with six of my girlfriends, and it was an absolute blast! We laughed, we talked, we ate, and we slept. Glorious!

In addition to it being a girls’ weekend, we were also celebrating two of our friends 40th birthdays! So this was an extra special trip!

We chose Asheville because it’s a short (ish) drive from Atlanta. There’s great food. And if you’re into it, the hikes and natural beauty of the city and surrounding area are majestic!

Also, and maybe most importantly, the spa at The Omni Grove Park Inn is quite spectacular. We thoroughly enjoyed our half day of hanging out and getting massages.

Where We Stayed

We stayed at The Omni Grove Park Inn because that’s the only way to access the spa right now. The property itself was beautiful and definitely had a lodge feel to it. The grounds are also well kept and really pretty. The rooms were just ok in my opinion. They felt a little outdated, but they were clean and sometimes that’s all you can ask for! I will also say that this hotel has quite a lot of original features – paintings, memorabilia, and even elevators that are manned by someone. It was a fun experience overall!

What We Did

Biltmore Estate – As soon as we arrived in Asheville we had lunch and then. headed straight to the Biltmore Estate for a wine tasting. Priorities! We then drove over to the Biltmore House and walked around the gardens before dinner.

A quick note – if you want to see more of the Estate, plan to spend 6-8 hours on the property. We didn’t have that kind of time, so we chose a couple of things and stuck to those.

A hike – There are so many beautiful hikes of all levels in and around Asheville. We wanted something low key and chill that got us out of the hotel and moving. We hiked Richmond Hill Park and enjoyed it. It’s not the most scenic hike but it was enjoyable. Definitely do your research and get out there if you can.

The Omni Grove Park Inn Spa – This spa experience is what our whole trip revolved around. We checked in around noon on Saturday and left at 5:30-6pm. It was just the medicine each of us need to feel pampered and relaxed. We indulged in most of the spa’s pools and rooms (re: sauna, etc.). We also each got an amazing massage, that if I do say so myself, was the highlight of the trip (well, the whole spa experience)! If you’re staying at the OGPI, definitely don’t skip the spa!

Elaine’s Piano Bar – Elaine’s is located in the OGPI, so it was an easy after dinner activity…and fun too! There was plenty of space, and the two pianists were a blast to watch as they dueled their way through different songs. And while you can put in requests, I will say that most of the music fell on the country side of the spectrum, so don’t expect anything too wild and crazy!

Where We Ate

White Duck Taco Shop – Tacos of all kinds (vegetarian options were plentiful), delicious and refreshing drinks, and lots of fun sides to indulge in too. I especially liked the low-key, fun vibe of this place. 100% felt like we were in Austin (one of my favorite foodie cities!). Definitely time your visit right because the lines can get long at peak times.

Plant – This was one of my favorite meals of the trip. Plant is a vegan restaurant that serves delicious, fresh, and unique dishes that anyone and everyone will love. HIGHLY recommend checking this place out. Oh and don’t skimp on the dessert – it was DELICIOUS!

Curate – I wanted to love Curate but honestly found it mediocre. The menu includes a good number of vegetarian tapas, however, the food was nothing to write home about. It was good but not great. One positive thing – you can’t beat the location – right in the heart of DT Asheville.

RosaBees – Rosa Bees was one of my favorite brunch experiences EVER! It’s a Polynesian restaurant so definitely didn’t know what to expect, but everything we ordered was scrumptious! The egg dishes were perfectly balanced, the biscuits were buttery and so soft, the banana French toast was sweet, dense and dessert like, and the drinks were super refreshing. HIGHLY recommend making a reservation here.

And now I miss my friends and our fun weekend in Asheville! I hope this is helpful if you ever visit the city and need help planning.

First (Beach) Vacation As A Family of Four

written by Leave a Comment

First and foremost, we survived!

All jokes aside, I’m glad Vishnu and I decided to bite the bullet, pack up the car, and take the kids to the beach. It was memorable and a lot easier than I anticipated. Although, I still hold to my claim that a vacation with kids is just a fun location change!

I’m going to try and make this post as helpful as possible by breaking everything down. I know how overwhelming it can be to even think about going on a road trip with kids, but it is possible!

Let me know if you have any questions.

Because age matters when it comes to road trips and vacations in general, note that Kaiden is almost 5 and Mila was almost 7 months old when we went on this trip.

Where we went and why

We went to 30A area and stayed in Inlet Beach. A lot of our friends vacation there regularly, so we knew it was kid-friendly with clean beaches (honestly some of the best I’ve ever seen in the US). We also took trip duration into account. Without kids, it would’ve taken 5.5 hours from where we live (outside of Atlanta). It took us about 7 hours both ways, accounting for all stops and breaks.

Where we stayed

I would highly recommend the house (and area) we stayed in. It’s absolutely perfect for a family of four with plenty of space and a newly renovated kitchen and bathrooms.

And the BEST part is that it’s literally right on the beach.

I’m glad we decided to go this route because otherwise we probably wouldn’t have made it out to the water that often. It was so nice to take Kaiden out while Mila napped. It was also nice to wake up to such a beautiful view every day!

What we ate

We ate out/ordered in four times. We also brought some food with us and also made a trip to Publix while there. I will say that I probably overpacked a lot of food because most of it came back with us. But it was nice to have options…and lots of snacks!

Restaurants we tried:

Big Bad Breakfast – a must try place!  The food was so good.

Bubba’s Pizza – surprisingly, Kaiden loved this pizza. In fact, he’s now a pizza loving convert! Vishnu also liked it a lot. I thought it was ok.

Amici – highly recommend this place!  Super family friendly and the food (and service!) was good! We had enough food leftover for lunch the next day.

And of course, Publix subs were had by all!  So good!

Other tidbits of info!

  • Something we didn’t do but should’ve is plan out our stops more. The drive from Atlanta to this part of Florida can be super deserted with no rest stops or restaurants for MILES! We needed to feed Mila on our way down and ended up stopping at a marina that just so happened to have a little store where we could heat up her milk. On our way back, we were more mindful and made more strategic stops.
  • Speaking of feeding Mila, we took our mini fridge and bottle warmer with us. I would say you don’t necessarily need the fridge (we’re just extra), but a bottle warmer would be a good thing to have.
  • Mila slept in her pack n’play and we used this cover to darken her space. And we used a sound machine to block out any noise.
  • Kaiden watched PJ Masks on the iPad pretty much the entire way down and up. And guess what…I had zero guilt about it!   
  • We took our Baby Bjorn bouncer for Mila to be in around the house as well as on the beach.  That was a good idea!
  • We purchased this travel ‘high chair’ for Mila but didn’t really use it much. I do, however, think this is a great thing for when we eat out or go to someone’s house.
  • We also purchased this beach tent. Didn’t get as much use out of it as I hoped, but I definitely see more beach trips in our future so will definitely use again.
  • A note for those traveling with small babies – check to see what the bathrooms are like in the house you’re renting. Both of the ones in this house had standing showers. I’m so glad we brought Mila’s bathtub because we were able to give her a bath (in a really awkward way but we made it work!).

Miscellaneous purchases

And I think that about wraps it up!  Let me know if you have any questions and/or if you have any tips/tricks/must use beach products.

Written on Related:Travel

A Winter Staycation in Chicago

written by Leave a Comment

When I used to think about staycations, I’d think of staying in your own home and doing nothing. This never sounded fun to me because I’m someone who can always find something to do – dishes, laundry, organizing, etc. I can’t just sit in my own home and do nothing.

When my sister suggested Vishnu and I go on a short trip in February (she even sent me dates that her and my BIL could watch K), I hesitated at first because who wants to travel in February in the Midwest…? Not me!

But then Vishnu suggested we do a staycation in Chicago, but instead of staying home, we stay at a hotel in the city for a couple of nights. Now that was something I could get on board with.

I messaged my sister to double check that the weekend we were thinking would work for her and Adarsh, and then I told Vishnu to pick a hotel.

He choose the Langham Chicago. A little pricey (but still 1/2 the price of what it would be), but his logic (which I agreed with) was that if we were going on an actual vacation, we’d be paying a lot more. Given that we’re not going on an actual vacation for a while, this felt like the perfect little splurge.

So here’s the thing about doing a staycation during Covid…it’s super relaxing because you can’t do much anyways.

On Friday, we got to the hotel around 4 pm. We checked in and then literally watched TV and talked until it was time to figure out dinner. I have a ton of Lettuce Entertain You dollars, so we ordered in from RPM (also my fav restaurant in the city). We watched Crazy Rich Asians before passing out for the night.

Saturday morning started later than it ever has. I didn’t sleep well the night before, so I stayed in bed until 11 am! UNHEARD OF! We then ordered breakfast from Wildberry (Vishnu’s fav). Next up, a lonnnnng walk around the city. Thankfully, the weather was great, so we ended up covering close to 6 miles. We walked mostly along the lake, which was literally a white winter wonderland. We can home, legs aching, and opted to watch TV and chill. When hunger hit again, we ordered in from Small Cheval (I got a delish lettuce wrapped veggie burger!). We ended the night with the Netflix movie The White Tiger.

Sunday…time to go home. I woke up early, squeezed in a quick workout, and showered, while Vishnu ran and got us coffee. We then hung out for a bit in our room before picking up lunch for the gang back home.

In some ways, it feels like we literally did nothing. In my eyes, that was the best part. Vishnu and I haven’t had time like this together in a very long time (like so many couples), and we’re so lucky to have my sister and BIL closeby and the resources to do something like this.

If at all possible, I highly recommend it, even if for one night. Although, we did spend a lot of our time watching videos of Kaiden, and then FaceTiming with them back at home! Ha! That’s just how it goes I suppose.

As for K, he had a blast with his masa and masi. I was a little worried because when I talked to him about the weekend and what he could expect, he told me that he didn’t want them to come over and that he wanted to go with mama and dada. But of course, like with everything else, he had so much fun. In fact, he was super sad when Aekta and Adarsh left our place on Sunday. Breaking my heart all over the place!

Overall thoughts on the Langham – We said we give it a 4/5. It’s a beautiful hotel, in a great part of town, but I’m sure we could’ve found a comparable property for much less than what we even paid. I will say though, if you’re going to use all the facilities and eat at the restaurants, this could be a worthwhile investment.

Cabo 2019 – A True Family Vacation

written by Leave a Comment

Over a week ago, I was in a beautiful pool overlooking the most stunning ocean views of Cabo.  Take me back!

But in all seriousness, our family vacay to Mexico was unforgettable and a really good time overall.  I think I can truly say that all seven of us enjoyed our time in paradise!

WHY CABO

Like I always do with these kinds of travel posts, let me provide a little context as to why we chose Cabo.  First of all, my parents have wanted to go on a family trip with both my sister and I and our significant others and of course Kaiden for a while now.  When the stars aligned (as in everyone’s schedules), we all sat down and seriously started brainstorming locations.  We threw out ideas like the Caribbean, Florida, Mexico City, etc.  But then Vishnu threw out Cabo – the weather is near perfect, no threat of hurricanes, it’s far enough to feel like a vacay, and there’s lots to do. Done deal!

WHERE WE STAYED

Then we started looking at Airbnb’s.  We went down this path versus hotels/resorts because we wanted a lot of space since we were going for five nights.  My mom also has some strict dietary restrictions, so having our own kitchen and the opportunity to buy our own groceries made more sense.  Also, this wasn’t the deciding factor, but we wanted to try and give Kaiden his own room – to help with the whole sleep thing. 

With all of our preferences being taken into account with what was actually available and in our budget, we settled on a 4 bedroom, 4.5 bath home in the Cabo Del Sol neighborhood.  You guys.  This house was big, beautiful, AND it had a private pool overlooking a golf course and the ocean.  A real winner in so many ways! 

The one downside to this particular area was all the construction.  It’s very much under development, and even though we couldn’t see or hear a thing while in our house, we came across it every time we left the neighborhood.

The only other thing, that probably has nothing to do with our house and is more just Cabo itself, was all the bugs.  We saw quite a few creepy crawlies in our five days.  By the last day, I was ready to be in my Chicago condo!

HOW WE GOT AROUND

Our car rental experience in Cabo was strange…in the best way possible!  We rented a huge Suburban from Cactus Car Rental, and everything from booking online to transferring to the airport to actually picking up the car was seamless.  They were so nice, there were no gimmicks…it just felt so easy. 

WHERE WE ATE

So in terms of food, I think we struck a nice balance between eating at home and trying a few restaurants.  In terms of Cabo restaurants, I asked my trustworthy IG followers for their recs, and they definitely came through…

Macca – This is a create your own pasta/pizza bar that’s located in a quiet little strip mall type place.  My sister and I shared a pasta and really ended up liking it.  Everything tasted quite fresh.  We really enjoyed our outdoor table and the fact that this place wasn’t crowded.  This was a fun dinner!

Café de Ciudad – We came across this small family-owned joint after a hike.  We were hungry, so I just Yelped the neighborhood and came across this 5 star rated restaurant.  I warned everyone that it looked and sounded like a hole-in-the-wall, but because we were close and hungry, we went with it.  And thank goodness we did.  The service, the food, the authenticity…it was perfection!  I’m so glad we ate here because we wouldn’t have gotten to try such authentic dishes otherwise.  Everything was so simply made, yet it was so so flavorful and delicious.  I wish we could have eaten here more than once.  Even if you’re staying at an all-inclusive resort, I highly recommend making the trek to this place.  You won’t regret it!

Flora Farms – This was the #1 recommended place on IG, and I totally see why.  The remote location and ambiance made it very IG worthy.  Personally, I loved the farm-to-table concept, and it didn’t fail in that regard.  The food was carefully curated, including all of the flavors.  I also loved that they accommodated to my mom’s diet.  If you decide to dine here, be sure to do two things – 1. Go early and book a tour of the farm, their culinary kitchen, etc. and 2. Save room for ice cream – the chocolate was heavenly!

WHAT WE DID

One of the things that my sister, BIL, Vishnu, and I all wanted to do was go on a hike somewhere in Cabo.  After much internet research, I came across a hike led by a gentleman named Ernesto.  Essentially, you meet him at his dog kennel, and he guides you up Mt. Solmar (with like 10 dogs) to a stunning 360 degree view of Cabo.  This one stood out to me because everyone said it was a must do (some people even did it twice in one trip).  Through a stroke of luck, I found Ernesto’s number online and texted him about the hike.  He confirmed the timing (he leaves exactly at 8:30 am) and told us not to be late!  The hike itself wasn’t too hard.  You definitely have to be in decent shape to climb up and down certain parts but I feel like most people could do this.  Other than that, wear some bug spray, dress lightly, and definitely wear sneakers.  This was probably one of my favorite experiences of the trip, so put it on your list for sure!

We also had a beach day one of the days because while a pool is nice…there’s nothing like the ocean.  Unfortunately, the ocean conditions in Cabo are not safe for swimming or even wading.  The current was super duper strong and pulling inwards on the day we went.  So we opted to build sand towers and let the water come to us.  Still fun!

My sister and I went on a run one morning in our neighborhood.  So fun and tiring given that I haven’t run outside in ages!  If you’re in a runnable area, I highly recommend bringing your gear.  The views are not to be missed!

My BIL went golfing one day and said it was a really cool experience (near/at the Secrets resort).  If you have any golfers in your group, this could be something fun.

And finally, we had family photos taken on our last day.  After a friend recommended Flytographer to me, I decided to book our session through them.  This is essentially a service that gives you a few options for the city you’re visiting (photographer, location, etc.).  You pick who you want based on their profile and where you want to take your pictures.  Your photographer meets you, takes your pics, and sends them to you within five days.  I LOVED this service and would do it again when we travel abroad.  It’s a cool way to capture your family’s vacation memories.  As reference, we had to pick the 60 minute session because we had more than six people in our group.  Totally worth it!  And if you decide Flytographer your photo shoot in Cabo, I HIGHLY recommend Fernanda.  She was so fun to work with and took incredible pictures!

MISC

Since we went the Airbnb route, we went to both Costco and Walmart to stock up on kitchen essentials.  Both were fairly close to where we stayed, and it was cool to go to a Costco in another country.  So similar to the states but everything is in Spanish (as expected!).

OVERALL THOUGHTS

To be honest, I had no expectations for this vacation.  All I wanted was to relax as much as possible and spend time with my family.  But in the end, Cabo really exceed my expectations.  If you’re looking for a fun family vacay destination, this should definitely be on your list.  There’s really something for everyone! 

If you have any questions, leave them in the comments or email me at myinnershakti@gmail.com.

Adios!

Time at Home + Q&A with Ba and Dada

written by 2 Comments

We are back in Chicago after a fun week in Atlanta where we spent time with my parents, my grandparents, my in-laws, and my brother-in-law and his girlfriend.  We also got to squeeze in a little friend time here and there.

We also attended my best friend’s baby showers, both of which were so special and fun.  Well, the official shower on Saturday was not so fun for me because Kaiden was being a stage 11 clinger.  But it was nice to see so many old friends. 

We played, we ate, we slept (!!), and now we’re back to the grind!

One of the other things I made time for was ‘deep’ conversations with my grandparents.  I wanted to take advantage of the one-on-one time I had with them to ask questions about their childhoods, their families, the marriage, motherhood, fatherhood, etc.

To be honest, I think they had more fun with this than anyone else.  Their faces lit up whenever I’d ask a question.  Makes me wish I had started doing this sooner!

I thought I’d share some of the more interesting things I learned.  And hopefully, this inspires some of you to do the same with your grandparents/older aunts and uncles. 

My grandmother’s overall message was that when you get to be her age you won’t remember the hard times. Only the love and fun you experienced.  And this is coming from someone who’s had her share of not-so-good times.  She said she honestly doesn’t remember the bad times in detail because she chooses not to focus on that.  “At this age, what good does that do me?”  Love my ba!

Growing up, neither my grandfather or my grandmother lived lavish lives.  There was always one person in the family who worked and brought home money to take care of everyone else.  My grandfather is one of 13, and my grandmother is one of five.  However, cousins and other relatives often lived with them too.  Essentially, the money coming in had to be stretched to feed everyone.  In fact, my grandfather recalled the days where they studied by candlelight.  Electricity was a want and not a need in those days!

With that being said, I also learned that ba’s father worked in a fabric mill, and my dada’s father owned a small restaurant in their village.

My ba loved to study, but when it came time to further her education, the decision was made for her that she would stay home to help with the upkeep of the house.  Personally, I found this to be really sad because I know how smart my grandmother is.  She could’ve done so much if she was born in a different time.  I also know from previous conversations with my mom that my ba also wishes they had travelled more.  She wanted to see the world, and while they have been to London and different parts of the US, she knows there’s more than just that and wishes she could’ve experienced it. 

In that same vein, my grandparents had an arranged marriage.  They were introduced through an uncle or something, and while it wasn’t love at first sight, I think they both same something in the other which led them to agree to the union.  My ba did say that she didn’t feel like she really could’ve said no if she wanted to because of the way the introduction was made.  Again, it makes me so mad that women in that time had so little control over their own lives.  GRR!

Even though there is some regret for the things not done, I think my grandparents have had a pretty good marriage.  Their marriage advice to me was to compromise and approach my marriage with understanding and patience.  If you can do that, you’ll be ok.

They also said to always live within your means.  And finally, don’t ruminate on your past because you can’t change it.  You can really influence what’s happening right now.

So thankful for the time I spent with ba and dada and can’t wait to see them again so that I can bombard them with more questions!

categories

Archives

Top Posts!

Follow me on Instagram!