Tuesday, October 29, 2013

About Time

I am one of these people that can never turn down free movie tickets. Back in university I wasted 117 minutes of my life watching the Birdcage (worst Robin Williams movie ever) all because I was offered free tickets to a screening. Well fast forward to last Wednesday and I was having déjà vu. My husband obtained free tickets to the screening of About Time. The premise was  - a story about a man who learns he can time travel on his 21st birthday, oh and Rachel McAdams was in it. It sounded like a cross between Notebook (ewww) and Time Traveler’s wife (depressing).


Ten minutes into the movie I realized that my assessment was wrong. About Time is a wonderfully compelling story about a very kind person that uses his gifts to try and fix what he can for the people he loves. Without giving to much away, there were two main messages that really resonated with me. One is the importance of being kind and what a difference kindness makes in the lives of others. The second message was to choose to be happy. No matter what life throws your way, it is up to you to decide whether you are going to be happy or unhappy. This is such a powerful message for me because my life is far from ideal so to know that I don’t have to wait for things to be perfect, it’s my choice to be happy is empowering.

Sunday, October 27, 2013

New friends

A colleague of mine invited my family over to his house today. It was the first time our families met. I felt an instant connection with his wife because as it turns out, we have similar tastes! Somehow we ended up dressing our little girls in the exact same outfit!
What a crazy coincidence! Especially since the dress is from last year and is no longer available at stores. They were so hospitable! They barbecued beef and lamb sheikh kabobs for us as well as chicken tikkas. They also made this delicious dish of shrimp curry, thick daal and rice, which you eat in layers, mmmmmm so full! To top it off they introduced me to a new treat  - white chocolate magnum ice cream bar! My tummy is so happy today.


Saturday, October 19, 2013

Belated Eid Mubarak

Most people celebrated Eid on Tuesday, and I have to say, I felt a little bitter, sitting at my desk at work, preparing for a requirements review, getting Facebook notifications of everyone else's Eid feasts. Well today was our Eid party and I have to say it made up for my miserable Tuesday. 
The party started with a grandchild pile up. Three kiddies tried to snuggle up with my mom at the same time.
Don't be fooled, my mom loved being squished by her little loves!

Here's a picture of two sets of sisters all dolled up for Eid. My mother and my aunt with me and my sister.
Here's another picture of two sets of sisters dressed up for a party, albeit, separated by a few decades. 

Can you guess which red girl belongs to which blue girl? The nostalgia! 

I tried to get a picture of me with the people that were responsible for bringing me to this earth, but my sister got wind of it and turned it into a family portrait. It looks better with her in it anyways, she's so beautiful! 
Afterwards it was mehendi time. My daughter waited patiently for her turn.

My sister patiently applied mehendi to all of the young girls' hands.

She did a great job.

Here's a picture of my youngest cousin, she's only two. 
My uncle, her dad, is in his forties recently suffered from his second heart attack. It scares me to think about his mortality. He is beloved and needed by his family. I can't imagine a world without him in it quite yet.

My son and nephew spent most of the night playing games on my mothers phone. My dad managed to wrest my son away from the lure of the electronic games for a brief moment. 

I'm amazed I got a shot of my son without a phone in his hands.

Monday, October 14, 2013

Thank you for my family

My parents and sister and her kiddies came to visit for thanksgiving. We had a delicious meal of mashed potatoes, rice, roast chicken, roast beef and roast veggies planned. My husband was the main chef and I offered to be his sous chef but he said no.
What's a girl to do? Well my sister and I went down to the basement to check on the kids. We found them looking cool, playing with the dollhouse. 
After we shooed the kids away my sister and I found some drama unfolding in the dollhouse. Prince Eric had brought his wife Ariel and daughter Melody to visit his ex girlfriend Sindy for the first time. Needless to say it was awkward for Sindy.
She and her sister ( my sister's doll Cyndi, who was also visiting from Mississauga) were whispering to each other and throwing disparaging looks at Ariel. 
Ariel in turn let Prince Eric know that she was unhappy. Prince Eric had to do some fast talking to smooth things over.
My sister and I got called upstairs before we could find out what happened next. Upstairs we found that my husband had made great progress. Here are the entrees before they went in the oven. 
The roast beef was ready to go in the rotisserie as well. The whole house smelled amazing, especially the roast beef.
Soon enough everything was ready and my dad had brought some tandoori fish that we had as well.
Everyone loved the food, even the kids! My nephew said that his uncle was the best cook ever. My mother thinks my husband should become a chef. I have to agree.





Saturday, October 12, 2013

Climate change

We drove .15 miles from our home to go apple picking. 
It's one of our favourite fall things to do. This year though something feels off. First of all it's was sweltering hot even though it was the middle of October. I'm wore a tank top and my husband was in shorts.
 
Secondly the apples were deformed. They were damaged by a hail storm in June. We still managed to find a few fine specimens, not enough to fill the half bushel bag we bought. 
We even found this apple near the top of a tree. It had an unusual tenant.


We wondered how long it took for this little snail to climb all the way up there. The kids thought that maybe he was fast like turbo so that how he got up that fast. 

The best part of the day was hanging out with our friends. 

Sunday, October 6, 2013

Mummy daughter time

Some women bond with their daughters by taking them shopping - mine is technically too young to enjoy the sport of shopping. Some women share a love of dance with their girls however I am too clumsy and my daughter seems to have inherited the clumsy gene. We can both trip over thin air. My daughter and I bond when we're being silly. She makes me laugh so hard sometimes! The things she says, the way she thinks! I love my almost four year old!

Thursday, October 3, 2013

Reunited

It's been a while. Have you missed me? I'll explain my absence another day but today I want to talk about my daughter. She has been adapting very well to "big school" meaning kindergarten, but she has been missing her best friend from daycare. We finally got a chance to meet up with our friends this past weekend. This is what the reunion looked like:
After the kids got their faces painted. My son was a pirate, my daughter was a mermaid and her friend has seashells painted on her cheeks.
Their was a lot running and squealing going on as is fitting of a reunion of three year old best friends.
We went for dinner, then desert, and because we were having so much fun, we didn't
want the day to end so we went bowling. 
I forgot how long it takes to bowl with children. Especially when each successful round is met with enthusiasm and hugs. 
It might have been the most fun I've ever had bowling!!!