My Inner Shakti

finding strength in everyday things

Friday Stuff [#3]

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Well, quarantine life put a hold on my random Friday posts. Hopefully I can be a bit more regular with these but no guarantees!

With that TGIF, amiright?! It’s been a good week, but I’m ready for the weekend and some quality time with Kaiden. He’s just SO FUN right now. As always, his cuteness almost always makes up for his outbursts. Almost!

Anyways, lets get to some Friday stuff…

Birthday Plans

It’s Kaiden’s birthday on Monday! Woo hoo! I feel like three is a big deal because he finally gets it…kind of! Since we cancelled our original plans for a party at his soccer school, we’re keeping it low key but also incorporating some of his favorite things into the day. First, Vishnu and I are going to blow up like 50 balloons and leave them all over our living room floor so he wake up to a pool of balloons! We got him a couple of gifts (more Magnatiles + dinosaur figurines). I’m going to order some delicious cupcakes, we’ll probably go to the park, we may watch Frozen or Coco, and finally, we’re going to do an immediate family birthday Zoom call. I CAN’T WAIT!

Gym Membership

I cancelled my gym membership last week. I’m so so so sad, but I really don’t see myself going to a gym anytime soon. More than me getting sick from going, I feel like with a kid in daycare and a doctor husband, I should probably avoid places where I’m in super close proximity to people while breathing hard. Like I said, it pained me to have to do this because I LOVED the classes, the facility, the instructors, etc. It was my dream gym in that sense.

What am I going to do instead? Home workouts (YouTube + Peloton) and hopfully some running + walking…

Lunchtime Walks

I workout during my lunch hour, so I do a home workout for 30 minutes and then I quickly head out for about 20 minutes of fast paced walking around our neighborhood. It’s so nice to breathe in some fresh air while getting my steps in.

Books

I’m almost done with The Whole Brained Child, and I can’t wait to share more. It’s probably one of the best parenting books I’ve read (and I’ve read a few!).

Next up will be So You Want to Talk About Race. I’ve heard so many great things, and I can’t wait to delve in. And then it’ll probably be Well Behaved Indian Woman. Fun fact – I know the author! She’s also from Atlanta, and my best friend is one of her closest childhood friends. I’m so excited for Saumya and can’t wait to read her book!! I also downloaded Maybe You Should Talk to Someone on my Kindle, so that will be consumed at some point!

Headbands

Headbands are my new favorite accessory. They take my hair from greasy and unwashed to sleek and styled. I wash my hair 1-2 times a week, and for those days where you just need to put it up, headbands give your look a little pizzazz. I’m telling you, this is a trend worth jumping on! I can’t take all the credit though. My sister got me hooked with her leopard print headbands, and then I got these solid ones. LOVE!

Pedicure

I got my first pedicure in over 6 months, and IT. WAS. GLORIOUS! My salon took a lot of precautions so I felt ok going in – a mask requirement, hand sanitizer up walking in, and barriers between all the stations as well as between you and the nail technician.

AND THAT IS ALL SHE WROTE! Hope you guys have a great Friday and weekend. 🙂

No portion of this post is sponsored.  However, affiliate links are 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 Stuff [#2]

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Is it just me or are the weeks starting to fly by again?  Things were definitely draft in part of February, but now it’s March 6 and I’m like WHA…?!

Anyways, this was a good week…nothing too exciting but better than the past one in some ways (mainly K being more sweet vs. sassy).

With that, let’s get started with some Friday stuff…

Book stuff

If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I finished The Silent Patient and have now moved on to The Perfect Couple.  A few thoughts – I think everyone should read The Silent Patient.  It was that good.  I’m only 25% of the way through The Perfect Couple, but it’s good so far.  A few IG followers said they couldn’t wait to hear about my thoughts on the ending.  Which of course has been intrigued about the ending!

Also, do you guys borrow books from the library?  I’m so in love with the library now (like I was when I was a little girl), but the issue is that I can’t read fast enough!  I’m picking up 3 new books today when I’m still not done with the one I got last week.  #firstworldproblems

Brunch stuff

If you read my Monday weekend post, you saw that we went to brunch with friends after soccer on Sunday.  This isn’t extraordinary in any way, except that it didn’t cause me any anxiety. This is huge because I’m very strategic about how we spend our weekends, always balancing the things I need to get done and fun. I had plenty to do at home, but I excitedly agreed to brunch and am so glad I did.  Kaiden had an absolute blast with his buddy Roger and it made me so happy to see him that happy!

Hair stuff

I have a hair appointment today – cut and highlights.  I’m so excited!  My grays are coming in with a vengeance, and to be honest, I don’t really care about that.  I just want them to be blended in a bit more, and I truly love the way the highlights end up looking. And I actually want to grow my hair out a bit, so the cut will really be a trim and refresh.  It’ll be a nice way to welcome Spring (which seems to be coming soon…or at least I hope!). 

Skin stuff

So for those who have been reading along for a while, you know that I had two major hives episodes in 2019.  It was ridiculous and I had to go on steroids both times, etc.  We never figured out what caused my hives, but thankfully, I’ve been all clear since October.

However, now my issues is generally itchy skin.  It’s not necessarily dry (doesn’t look it anyway), but I tend to get super duper itchy at night and in the early morning.  Like I have scratch marks on my back kind of itchy! 

Up until now, I’ve just been moisturizing with Cerave and saying a prayer. But Vishnu suggested using Aquaphor to see if that helps, and you guys…it’s been a game changer of sorts.  Now, after showering, I put on coconut oil and then later on the Aquaphor.  I still get itchy, especially towards the end of the day, but it’s nothing like before. 

I’m just hoping this method will save me until summer shows up which is when my skin generally doesn’t have any issues.

Kaiden’s room stuff

If you follow me on Instagram, you know that Vishnu and I took on a couple of projects to block the windows in Kaiden’s room.  We live in a loft, and thankfully the second bedroom is completely closed off, but the windows weren’t helping K’s sleep situation. 

Basically, for a while, we had white poster board Vishnu taped together in the windows the block the light.  Obviously not very aesthetically pleasing. 

To help change that, we used Kaiden’s artwork from school to create collages on one side (the side facing into his room), and then for the side facing into our living space, Vishnu created two pieces of shower curtain art.  (He basically used a similar process to this one, except before attaching the shower curtain, he stapled on a black sheet.)

So crafty and cost effective!  Wins all around!

Self-management stuff

Guys, I used to be a pro at this.  I have no tips or trick…just wanted to share that I’m trying to get better and would love any and all suggestions you have!  Share away!

Recipe stuff

Make these stuffed shells ASAP!  The filling alone will have you drooling.  Trust me!

Instagram stuff

Well, that’s all she wrote this Friday! Until next time…have a great weekend!

No portion of this post is sponsored.  However, affiliate links are 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 Stuff

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Actually got around to sharing a Friday post today! Woo hoo! It’s the little things.

I hope y’all had a good week. It’s been a good one around here…just super tiring, but I’ll get into that below.

With that, let’s get started with some Friday stuff (liking this format the most out of all the ones I’ve tried, so going to try and stick with it…feels more organized)…

Book stuff

You guys, The Silent Patient is such an engrossing book. I can’t put it down. The only issue is that I always start reading at like 9 pm when I’m already super tired. I want to keep going but literally can’t. Hopefully, I can find a good chunk of time this weekend to get through this. It’s a good one (and my IG peeps agree – got so many messages about how great of a book this is).

Speaking of books…Kaiden picked out a new to him book from his school library the other day – a Dr. Seuss book nonetheless. It looked cute, and so I started reading it. We got to the end and it took a turn for the dark side. There were hunters and guns and stuffing of animals. I stopped reading aloud at this point and silently finished the book. WHAT THE HECK!? Vishnu saw the look on my face and asked what was wrong. I told him and he confirmed that Dr. Seuss is known for dark undertones. I get that or whatever, but this was a bit much. Linking the book…just so y’all know which one to possibly avoid.

TV stuff

So after Vishnu and I finished The Americans, I didn’t pick up any new shows because I wanted to make more room for reading. However, I’m still watching This is Us and A Million Little Pieces. SO SO SO GOOD! This is Us has some off weeks, but AMLP is super on point right now. If you’re looking for shows to watch (although you’ll have to play a bit of catch-up), these are two very good ones.

Food stuff

Do you guys follow Skinnytaste? I’ve been following her for years but have only made a handful of her recipes. I decided to change that this week when I made her Kung Pao Tofu. It was so super easy to pull together (literally under 40 minutes) and delicious! I can’t say it was toddler approved because my guy only ate a couple of pieces of tofu and all the rice, but I think he’d give it another change. Me on the other hand? I sprinkled some peanuts on top and went to town! SO GOOD! Definitely a must try.

Coronavirus stuff

Ok, so I’ll admit that I was in camp ‘this will fizzle out quickly’ with everything related to the Coronavirus. Well, it turns out I was likely wrong. Listening to/reading the news this week has been a bit stress. But on the other hand, you can’t do anything but prepare. It’s not like we can live in isolation now.

BUT…this virus has made us rethink some travel we had planned this summer. Instead of going international, we’ll likely stay domestic. Sucks but beats getting quarantined and not getting home to K.

Also, on a work front, our company is relooking at ALL of the global travel on the calendar for this year. It’s all still up in the air, but some of my work travel may get impacted. We shall see!

Birthday stuff

I booked K’s birthday party a couple of weeks ago. His birthday’s at the end of June! We wanted to hold it at the place he goes for soccer and they do birthday packages. I knew if I waited, they would be booked for the weekend we want. So I went for it…5 months in advance! Craziness. But I’m so happy because I know K’s going to have a blast! Can’t wait.

Also, how is it that we’re going to have a THREE year old in a few months!?!? Again…craziness!

Skincare stuff

Ok, so y’all know I’m a HUGGGGEEE Drunk Elephant fan. Like every product I use is by them.

I still very much love them, BUT I will say that the Vitamin C serum isn’t doing anything for me anymore. I confirmed my feelings with my friend Thea (the person who got me hooked), and she agreed that with the formulation change, the effects have changed.

With that being said, I’m on the market for a new (clean) vitamin C serum. I have a few that I’m eyeing but need to get samples at Sephora first.

If you have any recs, send them my way!

Costco stuff

You need these joggers in your life! They are so comfy and soft and cute!

The best part is they ONLY $9.99 at Costco!!! A STEAL, PEOPLE!

If you’re a member, get on their website and buy now. If you’re not a member, find someone who is and get them to buy for you!

Ok, that’s it.

Getting older stuff

Old is a relative term (I’m 36) and I get that, but I’ve been noticing that physically things are just different now than they were just a few years ago.

For example, around that time of the month, I’m just so super tired. Everything is sore (even if I don’t work out too hard) and I’m just so tired I could fall asleep at like 7 pm every day.

This was never the case before. Anyone else?

Instagram stuff

This week on Instagram, I shared…

Well, that’s all from me! I hope you have a great weekend.

No portion of this post is sponsored.  However, affiliate links are 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 Randomness

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Welcome to another addition of my Friday randomness! Also, Happy Valentine’s Day!

You guys, we are almost one week of Vishnu’s night float rotation (out of 2), and I’m ready for it to be over.  This may be our last time ever experiencing nights (FINGERS CROSSED!), but man, when his entire schedule flip flops, it feels like ours does too!  Also, I just miss my partner-in-crime!

Because Vishnu sleeps during the day, I need to figure out how to keep Kaiden out of our room on Saturday and Sunday.  He loves to ‘go see’ dada, which never ends quietly.  I’m thinking a museum date and maybe even lunch out on one or both days may be in order!

Anyways, I still have approximately 20 hours to figure all that out.  Let’s get on with my Friday favs…

ONE

If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I challenged myself to read 20 books in 2020.  You guys, I’m already on #6!  Getting a library card definitely helped push me a long because a lot of the books I put on hold are popular, so essentially, I need to read fast! 

Take book #6 for example – You Were There Too.  I got a notification on Wednesday telling me I have to return this book Friday.  I was only 60% of the way through at the time, so that forced me to read my little heart out on Wednesday and Thursday nights!

TWO

Speaking of challenges, my sister and I decided to take on a ‘no dessert February’ challenge.  And dare I say, it’s going really well so far.  If we do end up eating something sweet (as in a dessert and not ketchup), we owe the other person $5. 

I plan to share more about why I’m doing this, the results, my new plan regarding desserts, etc. very soon.

Wish me luck for the second half of the month!  If I make it, this will be the longest I’ve EVER gone without eating dessert.

THREE

Speaking of sweets, did guys know there’s a Food Network show called ‘Chopped Sweets’ now?  It’s essentially like Chopped but all about making dessert like creations.  The episode I happened to catch had ingredients like lamb vindaloo, which some chefs turned into chocolate mousse.  I LOVE FOOD NETWORK!

FOUR

There’s no way to transition from that to what I want to share next, so…#sorrynotsorry!

I wanted to share a quick potty training update because I think I figured out the key to making this transition a success…CONSISTENCY!  No matter what you do, you have to stay consistent.  It doesn’t matter if your kid has accidents or is regressing.  Stay consistent!

Trust me, it’ll be easy to just put them in pull ups during the weekend and kind of half-ass the whole thing…but don’t!  You’re only prolonging something that can actually be accomplished in a relatively short amount of time. 

In terms of Kaiden, he’s doing well.  His issue is getting to the potty in time, especially at school.  We’re working on it!  He’s also gotten to a point where he doesn’t like to get his pull up wet/dirty, so that’s a move in the right direction!

I hope that by April we can have him trained so that he doesn’t need a pull up at naptime.  Wish us luck!

FIVE

Ok, so no transition again…just a cool new gadget!

I love cooking don’t love the prep (i.e. chopping vegetables).  I always say that I wish I could just magically have my veggies chopped by someone/something else.  That would make so much more fun and a lot quicker too.

Well when my IG friend Aartee shared this chopper in her stories, I knew I needed it!  She’s a busy mom who could also use all the shortcuts she can get, so I thought, if she likes it so will I!

And guess what…I love it!  This thing is perfect to chop up onions, potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, etc.  I still have to cut the veggies into smaller chunks, but it’s not as labor intensive as having to chop up everything by hand. 

If you cook a lot at home and hate chopping as much as I do, get this!  It will change your kitchen game!

No portion of this post is sponsored.  However, affiliate links are 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!

High 5 on a Friday

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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!

No portion of this post is sponsored.  However, affiliate links are 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!

High 5 on a Friday!

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This week has both creeped along and flown by. The day to to day felt slow, but when I look back, I’m like ‘wait, wasn’t it just Monday yesterday?’ Funny how that works!

In other news, I’m going to attempt a new Friday series on MIS. I say attempt because sometimes it’s just that and my idea doesn’t stick. But I think this one will for a few reasons. The main one being that this will give me an outlet for my random updates and thoughts from the week.

Setting the bar low but hoping I keep up with this semi-regularly! We shall see…

ONE – Let’s talk about Big Little Lies. I’ve been loving season 2 even though it’s gotten mixed reviews by critics and others. I don’t know. I love all the character flaws and the fallout from season 1. The finale looks promising. Fingers crossed! Do you watch? Thoughts?

TWO – Have you used the Face App to make yourself look older? Vishnu and I had a little fun the other night (BEFORE we learned about the Russians and security stuff), and I was unpleasantly surprised by how old me looked. Holy wrinkles!

So here’s the thing. When looking at pictures posted by celebrities and friends, I find that the app has a huge bias towards women. The women look significantly older and my wrinkly than the men. Vishnu thinks I’m crazy for thinking that, but pay attention to the pics, and I think you’ll see what I’m talking about.

THREE – It took me over a month, but I finally figured out how to make daycare dropoffs a little easier. I let Kaiden bring his beloved football with him since it’s become a security thing. I don’t know if that’s the best answer, but I hate seeing him cry first thing in the morning, so I guess for us it is! Also, it’s not like he has it all day. The teachers take it away at some point and put it in his cubby. I really wish I had thought of this sooner!

FOUR – I hate to get all political here, but I’m going to because it’s my damn blog. I am enraged by the President’s racist comments to the four female members of the House. I know it’s just a distraction and all that, but really, “Go back to where you came from.” ARE YOU F’ING KIDDING ME!?! Three of them were born in THIS country. It’s not all that hard to take this personally when you’re the kid of immigrant parents who have done nothing but work hard for the past 37 years. I feel like he’s fueling the fire with his base, and that scares me for MANY reasons. UGH.

FIVE – Vishnu has his first 24 hour call on Saturday which means it’s just going to be me and K! This is his first in a long time, and luckily, he only has 3 Saturday and 3 Sunday shifts this year. WOO HOO!

We also have a heat wave hitting Chicago (and so many other parts of the country) this weekend, so other than the play date we have scheduled with K’s daycare bestie, I’m thinking we’ll hit up the museum (hopefully a more successful visit than last time) and/or the library.

That’s all from me! Happy Friday and weekend!

hello weekend

Friday Thoughts + Favorite Links

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With two loads of laundry annoyingly calling out to me from the other room asking to be folded, I’m going to have to bullet point this week’s Friday thoughts…

hello weekend

  • My BIL, Niel, gets in tonight!  We’re so excited to see him, and again, he’s probably super excited to see Kaiden.  It’s been about 2.5 months since the last time he visited.  Can’t wait for this uncle nephew reunion!
  • My other BIL, Adarsh, is organizing a birthday shindig for my sister on Saturday.  It’s at a bar/restaurant…and we’re bringing Kaiden.  Don’t judge!  I told Vishnu I’ll go home if at any point we feel uncomfortable having him there.
  • I made a special birthday dinner on Tuesday for my two favorites (the hubs and the sissy) – roasted veggies and Instant Pot mac n’ cheese.  I’m not exaggerating by any means when I say this was some of the best mac n’ cheese I’ve ever tasted.  It was so creamy and rich.  Definitely adding this to my Thanksgiving menu!
  • Speaking of the IP, if you own one, you absolutely need to make this vegetarian lentil tortilla soup.  It’s fantastic and SO SO easy to make.  Chop and drop at it’s finest!  Even Vishnu, my greatest fan AND critic, loved this recipe!  That’s saying something…trust me!
  • We had another poop filled adventure earlier this week, and it was kind of hilarious.  Probably because Vishnu was the star of that show.  To make a long story short, Kaiden’s diaper overflowed on to Vishnu, our sofa, and the carpet while I was out running errands.  I got a call from V as I entered the Target parking lot.  He asked me how far I was, and when I told him, he asked if I could come back home.  Thankfully, we have a great stain remover that did the trick pretty quickly.  All the while, Kaiden just smiled, cooed, and kicked his little heart out!  Ha!

That’s all she wrote this week, folks!  Here are a few good links for your reading pleasure.  Have a GREAT weekend!

I love Ellen oh so much!

It sound extreme, but this is one of the reasons we refuse to share identifying pictures of K online.

Love these easy meditations for every day encounters.

Love all of these…especially #11!

YES!  Communication is key.

I can’t even pick favorites…all of this advice is great!

Something all moms need to read.

DEFINITELY making these brownies this weekend!

A really interesting piece on gun control by a gun owner.

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