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The 2nd Birthday party.

MysTri Mum22 Comments

I was talking to a friend,who’s daughter is turning two and we were discussing parties.After we hung up,I checked the blog,to read about Aadi’s 2nd birthday party and I didn’t find anything.I realised,I never got around to writing about it.I am always big on party planning..and so,I think its a good idea to write down the details..for that day,when I lack the enthusiasm to plan another do.
Theme and decoration :
As with her first b’day party,we decided on a theme,based on her likes.At that time,she was in LOVE with Pooh Bear..Pooh Bear toys,pooh bear bottle,Pooh Bear table cloth,Pooh bear videos! So,we decided to have a Pooh Bear Themed birthday party.We looked for Pooh bear themed decorations and cake,but didn’t have much luck..except a birthday banner and a lone balloon.
The other thing that she liked then was Balloons.We couldn’t pass a counter selling balloons,without buying one for her.So,we decided to get balloons and loads of helium Balloons with long strings.And decided that was the only decoration that we used.DH wanted enough balloons to fill the room.

Cake :
The cake I was not entirely happy about.We chose a chocolate cake,in the shape of 2 and it had a picture of the Balloons.Originally I wanted a custom cake,with a little bit of Pooh,some balloons and something about the number 2.But,I didn’t find anything I liked..and we had just moved here..and my baking had gone haywire.So,we settled for the next best thing.The taste was alright..not,Out of this world like the first birthdays.And that cake came from a grocery store..this was a proper bakery.Anyway..It was a 2 shaped cake,vanilla with chocolate cream filling and vanilla cream on top and chocolate frosting on the side.

Games– There were 5 kids (age 2 to 4) and 3 babies. So,I didn’t really plan any games.I just pushed the furniture near the walls and spread some toys..which the younger kids and babies enjoyed.The older 2 just formed bunches of the balloons and ran with them.
Menu : It was a dinner party and the menu was-
Appetiser-Chips and Salsa; Veg Spring rolls.
Main Course-Veg Manchurian,Chole,Chicken Curry,Boondi Raita,Veg Pulav,Roti.
Dessert-Fruit Custard.
I cooked everything,except the rotis at home and everyone loved it.The first dish to disappear was the Veg Manchurian.I had made so much of that,but in the end,I had to gracefully put the empty bowl away.

Return Gift– It doesnt matter how tiny your guests are ..their eyes light up,at the sight of the return gift.Since we had a small number of kids,I bought individual gifts for everyone- the girls got a faux fur bags in pink or lavendar-the bags were filled with playdoh for the 4 year old and crayons for the 2 year olds. Boys got cars and crayons and the babies got a soft toy each.Each gift bag also had some candy,blow-outs(?) and a baby shrek,whose head danced..
And finally a picture of the gift table-

All in all, a good party.I wasnt too happy about the cake..and so this year,I plan on baking myself..FINGERS crossed!

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7..

MysTri Mum24 Comments

..More things about me..
Goofy Mumma tagged me on this one-
Reveal 7 random things about yourself.
Here are the rules of the tag.
1) You have to tag 7 people.
2) You have to link their pages in your tag post
3) You have to leave a comment in their comments section telling them they’ve been tagged.
4) You have to say who tagged you.

Lets see..what can I tell you this time-
1. I don’t remember books and movies after I finish reading/watching them.I mean when I go back to read or watch again,then I recollect snatches..but,even if someone asks me right after the movie ends,about a scene,I can’t remember.
2. I enjoy cooking.Its almost therapeutic for me.I love the rythm of chopping,stirring..The more complicated a recipe,the more I enjoy it.
3.Saying “No” is not one of my strongest point.I just cannot say No.And on the rare occasion that I do,I end up feeling guilty.
4.I am a pushover.I know when I am being pushed,but I am still trying to learn to be firm and not get pushed.
5.I have to read every night..Every single night.
6.I am planner..I like to plan things,way in advance.Some plans fall through,some dont..for those that don’t I find a counter plan…:D
7.I used to write poems,when until 8-9 years back..then I don’t know how I stopped.

Phew..this one was hard..I think I have now told you guys,all that is to tell about me.

I tag..Avanti,comfortablynam,Swati,Abha,Rayshma,Neera and Mystic Margarita

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You have to be almost 3..

MysTri Mum27 Comments

…to point at a funny black and white sheep on TV and scream excitedly..
“Look Mom!!!!!! It is me!” and laugh happily..

(Image courtesy-Google images)
..to call your mom TRASH,pretend to open it and dump some imaginary trash on her head and still get away with it.”Mumma,you are a trash(can)..Look I am opening the trash and throwing kachra..all done,Trashy!” Time for mom to start dressing better??

….to tell your dad,”this is our bedroom..my and mumma’s..but you can share the bed!!” and to be smothered in hugs.

…. to tell your mom,”Mumma,you look funny..”when she is dressed in her favorite jeans and top..only to have her check the mirror again and shoot your dad an angry look,for not telling her.And then you get to force them to laugh Funny with you..and get to say,”I love you,Funny Mom!!”

Aah the joys of being 3..:)

Have a nice weekend folks..:)

Edited to add- I just changed the title..She doesn’t turn 3 for 10 more days:D

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Happy Gudi Padwa and Giveaway announcement.

MysTri Mum16 Comments

Wish you all a very happy Gudi Padwa.May the new year bring you health,wealth and all things nice.
It was a usual day here in Aadyaland.I hate it when festivals fall on a weekday.That just sucks the excitement out of the occasion.
Anyway,we just did the usual stuff..didn’t even have bath until late afternoon- there was just no joy.The only thing I did was clean up! After bath and failed attempt at putting Aadi to sleep,I decided to stop moping around and get into the festive mood…lit some agarbatti and decided to cook the usual festive meal and this time for dessert,I decided to make Shrikhand.
I mean there had to be a reason why I picked up the sour cream.We had gone to Aldi,to just pick up milk and eggs and I just picked up a tub of sour cream…without a second glance,without a second thought..just picked it up.Nothing unusual about it..but seriously,since,we started budgetting…I don’t pick up anything just like that..I take a minute to stop and think..”am i really going to use it..”The fact that I did not stop to think that day,seemed like divine intervention to me!So,I made the sour cream Shrikhand.
To me it was just like God’s way of telling me..that He is watching over us..and we are a part of HIS plan..It just made me feel a teeny-tiny bit better about our forever dwidling finances too.
It started off as a mopey day,but ended on a high note…I am happy now..content too..and overfed!!
Which brings me to the question of weight..I know you guys have been polite and not asked me,but about time I told you..
As of last week,I have managed to knock off- 5 WHOLE KGS!!! And now struggling to maintain it..with all the baking thats going on here,its hard…but I am still doing quite OK! The scale is still not fixed..and punishes me for indulging,when I do…but,I push myself and get back on track.
All excercise is stopped for now..late nights and later mornings-need I say more..But,tonight is the last night I stay up late..
And now for the Giveaway announcement-

Nima of Made to Treasure completed 100 posts and is celebrating it with a giveaway. Go on over and congratulate her,and while you are there,don’t forget to check her crafty finishes!
I am off to bed now..Take care my lovelies,more later….

Mumma's Kitchen · Recipe · Uncategorized

Happy Gudi Padwa

MysTri Mum3 Comments


Wish you all a very happy Gudi Padwa.May the new year bring you lot of happiness and prosperity.

Gudi Padwa signifies the beginning of a new year,as per Hindu calendar.It is also known as Ugadi in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.Growing up Gudi Padwa to me meant-New clothes all day long and yummy food.It also meant lunch(if it was a Sunday) or dinner with family friends.We were always away from family but there were more than enough honorary uncles and aunts to make it feel like family time.Mom sloughed in the kitchen to prepare delicacies and then,in the evening,after a good scrub,we donned our second pair of new clothes and waited our guests.
To me a festive meal means Puri-batata bhaji-Masale Bhaat and koshimbir and a dessert. The dessert can vary,but it is not a festive meal without the other four. Batata bhaji or Potato subji has to be made in a particular way- Boiled potato pieces,tempered with turmeric,green chilies,mustard seeds,hing and garnished with corriander leaves.
This year for Our Menu for Gudi Padwa dinner was- Puri-Potato Bhaaji,Masala bhaat,koshimbir and Shrikhand.DH loves Shrikhand and this is the first time I actually made it.I have had the recipe for a long long time..but just never used it. I think my friend,AP,passed it on,roughly and I eye-balled the ingredients.
Here’s the recipe-

You need-
* 200gms of sour cream(I used low fat sour-cream)
*2 tsp yogurt
*1/2 cup sugar
* 1/4 cup chopped nuts – run the nuts through a chopper till coarse.
*1 tsp charoli (I don’t know what its called in english)
*1/2 tsp cardamom powder
* 3-4 saffron strands,soaked in 2-3 tsp warm milk

Preparation-
Add the sugar to the sour cream and mix well with a spoon till all the sugar is dissolved. Add the chopped nuts and charoli dana and the saffron milk.Stir well and chill for 1- 2 hours.
Serve chilled.

End Result- The shrikhand had a nice silky consistency.I added a little more nuts because we like nuts in our shrikhand. You can add a little more sugar to make it sweeter.

DH opened the refrigerator to get something and saw the shrikhand kept to chill.He made a face and said,it looked like garlic sauce or raita.He dared to taste it,when feeding Aadi her lunch and closed his eyes with delight!!wowww!!..thats all he said!!:D

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Party for the Butterflies

MysTri Mum14 Comments

“Party” is the new favorite word in Aadyaland..and when there is a party,there has to be cake!
So,when these butterflies came visiting,here’s what happenned-
First they kissed the birthday girl,Aadi


and said,”Happy Birthday,Aadya” and they gave her gifts.(the pine cones)

Then,Aadya asked them,their names and gave them some flower cakey. The butterflies ate the cake and then Aadya took them to Fly Fly with her. And then,when they were all tired,she sang for them.

To make these butterflies,we used-
*Scouring pads in blue,red and yellow colors.
*sticky tape
*Straws

Fold the scouring pad in half and cut it into butterfly shape.Slit the top portion of the straw to make antannae and stick it to the back of the butterfly with sticky tape. Cut bits of the left over scouring pads and press these bits on to the butterfly.It should stay.We tried using glue,but,it didn’t work.
alternatively,you can also make the markings on the butterfly using water color.
And you are ready for your butterfly party!

This is inspired from Aadi’s favorite show-Giggle and Hoot! This is going to be our entry for the Artsy-Craftsy March 2010.

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Penne Pasta with vegetables in garlic infused white sauce

MysTri Mum5 Comments

Now,if the name,didn’t make you go,wowwwwww…and make you drool,this picture definitely would.

And this is just the picture of the veggies..:)
The white sauce recipe was shared by a cousin,when I was may be 17-18 and since then,it has been a family favorite.My dad who doesn’t care much for noodles-foodle,pasta-wasta(his words not mine!),actually took a bite,to make me happy the second or third time-well he didn’t have a choice,when my sister and I bullied him:D And he asked for seconds..Since then,this is the only pasta dish,he eats and relishes.As for my sister and best friend,any pasta/veg in white sauce,is good only if it tastes like mine..and coming from two VERY fussy eaters,this is a compliment.
DH loves it too,and fortunately,so does the little one.

(Not a very good picture..)
Here’s my Penne Pasta with vegetables in garlic infused white sauce:
You need-
400 gms of Penne Pasta( you can replace Penne with Fusili or Macaroni as well)
1 whole Red Capsicum,diced
1-2 carrot-diced
6-7 green beans-diced
1/2 cup cauliflower or brocolli florets
1 medium sized onion diced.
1 tsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
For the Sauce-
2 tsp butter(I used olive oil spread)
1 cup milk( I used low fat milk)
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp all purpose flour
3/4 cup grated parmasaen cheese
2 garlic cloves,crushed.

Preparation:

* Prepare the Pasta,as per the instructions on the pack.Toss it with a tsp of olive oil and keep aside.Save a little water,from the pasta,in a separate bowl.
* Saute’ the vegetables and keep aside.
* To prepare the sauce-
(Start with a fresh pan,to get the perfect white color) Take some butter in a pan and when it starts to sizzle,add the crushed garlic cloves.Pick up the pan and shake it gently,so that all the butter,gets the garlic flavor.Lower the flame.Remove the garlic,after a minute and add the all purpose flour.Keep stirring,so that the flour or the butter don’t burn.This is the most important step,if you want the right color.Keep the flame low.
When the flour turns slightly yellow,add the milk and water.Stir/whisk vigorously,to avoid lumps. When this mixture,starts bubbling,add the grated cheese and stir again.Make sure,you maintain medium heat,till all the cheese melts.Add salt to taste.You can also add pepper if you like.

*Once your Sauce is ready,toss in the veggies and the pasta and the water saved from boiling pasta.Mix it well and serve hot.You can garnish it with some cheese if you like.

Serving Suggestions- Serve hot with Garlic Bread and crisp green salad.

This is the first post on Project Lunchbox! I packed this yummy pasta along with some garlic bread and told him to sprinkle some water on the pasta,before heating it..(which I know he is not going to do!)

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Project LunchBox

MysTri Mum4 Comments

The owner of the lunchbox is the darling husband.Till we were in the US,DH used to come home for lunch and most of the days,I would breeze through the morning,getting fresh meals on the table,day after day.On the rare day,when he was going to be very busy,I would just pack something for him..or he would grab a burger or sandwich.
Then we moved to Melbourne-I don’t remember much about the first 5-6 months..may be he took lunch on some days,on others,he ate out…I didn’t care much. After we moved to this house,last february,pretty much the same pattern continued.Some weeks he would take boxed lunch on all 5 days,sometimes,may be 2 or 3 times..But one thing was constant..there was hardly any variety in his lunch box.
It was always- Rice-daal-sabji OR Curd-Rice OR Fried Rice OR Rice with Curry …you get it? the rice was constant.
He insisted it was easier to eat..and I didn’t mind,because,rice is easier to cook. Recently,I realised,how boring it is for him.He doesn’t complain..but just thinking/writing about it,bored me out of my mind. So,I have decided to bring in variety.Since the beginning of 2010,I am giving him boxed lunch,EVERY single day,unless he has a lunch meeting or if I am sick..and I want to continue this..because-1) It saves us money and
2) Its healthier. If only I can find other options.
The problem is it should be something that I can cook the previous night.Simply because,he doesn’t have the patience for my cooking to get done in the morning and starts panicking and threatening to leave,without the lunch.This gets me also worked up and I end up feeling unappreciated.And also,if I get up early to cook,so does Aadi and I am so not ready for a longer day of mommying.So,anyone back to the Project LunchBox-I am going to try and post what I pack for him,everyday..and hopefully some of you will share something interesting with me.
Do you or your spouse take a boxed lunch to work?What do you normally pack?

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The connection…-Guest Post

MysTri Mum8 Comments

Its time for the next guest post.This one is from one of my favorite bloggers..infact the one that initiated me into blogging.I read a post by a second time mom on Indiaparenting pregnancy boards and it made me reach out to her.That mom was Tharini and on her encouragement,I started my first blog.Tharini moves me and that was another reason,why I requested her to do this guest post for me.
Here’s what Tharini has to say-

There are many ways to meet people. Both in real life and on the virtual. And the way I met Trish, could fall into the category of ‘regular’….or not. How do you classify something that connected to the exact emotional state in two people?

Indiaparenting it was. On a message board. Where I had shared Thambi’s birth story. Trish read it and reached out. Not only because it called for congratulations, but because it called for that special sentiment, called hurt. Hurt, that a mother’s presence would have made the all the difference, and her absence was a very raw wound for me. And Trish had sensed that. It was the same wound that hurt her too. Girls need their mother when they are becoming mothers themselves, period. And I was lucky to have that blessing the first time around, with a narrow miss the second time. And in all the things that a birth story entails, it was this that Trish keenly sensed and wrote to me about. Ah, the bliss of being ‘got’.

She began blogging soon thereafter, and I learnt a little more about her and her life. But distances are always there, waiting at the corner, to wedge their way in and open the chasm wide. Busy lives with very little time was the distance that wedged itself in our case. We are not in regular touch or completely tuned in to each other’s lives. But when she writes to me about doing a guest post after 3 eventful years, that is the time to pause and think, and remember and reach out once more. So here I am, wishing Trish many many more happy sweet years of blogging and growing in her own right.

A parting thought….this bookmark, with one question, READY? I love it. 5 letters, with a question mark at the end, and the potency of infinity? Oh wow!!! Ready? So open ended with scope for the widest interpretation, the popular one corresponding to your exact situation in life. At that time, for me, it would have been….are you ready to move forward from that point, from that ache and embrace your newly completed family, completely? Now, it is…are you ready to make some serious changes in your life, leaving behind old habits that tend to leach and remember what it is like to be pure once more?

What does READY? mean to Trish? And what does READY? mean to you?

Thanks for writing,Tharini and thanks for sharing this beautiful bookmark with us.
Ready? to me today means-Am I ready to take charge of my health? Am I ready for the next phase,thats going to start in our life,as Aadi starts school?Am I ready to give myself sometime,to wait for nature to take its course?Am I ready to make some changes in our lifestyle to make it better in coming months and years..?I think its about time and I think I am ready!

What about you?What does READY? mean to you?

To read the other guest posts,go here,here and here

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Friends Forever-Guest post

MysTri Mum3 Comments

I first stumbled upon Rayshma’s when Aadi was a couple weeks old.I read her blog,when I was up nursing Aadi inthe wee hours of the morning and her post made me smile,despite my sleep deprived state.I still remember,she had blogged about being cooped up at home that day.It reminded me of my days in Toronto.But,sleep took over and I forgot to save her url and I was discovering new blogs then..so,there was no way I could find her again.
Imagine my surprise,when I moved to texas and found another blogger,in Texas..and that blogger was Raysh!She was truly my Texas Sunshine.We exchanged emails and there was a connection..We met and got along like a house on fire..and before she knew what hit her,Aadya had a new aunt!:D
When I decided to do guest posts,this month,I don’t know what I was expecting..I just knew that I wanted to spread some smiles through the people who made me smile..:) But,Raysh this post..is making me turn beet red..seriously..:P
And the rest of you,here’s Rayshma for you-

Whenever i think of trish, i find myself smiling. that’s just the way she is, i guess! happy, cheerful… always smiling. and her smile sure is contagious! she is what is generally perceived as a giver. she gives without expecting… she remembers your likes and dislikes despite the hazaar things she has to do… and that’s bcoz she genuinely cares.
saying she’s enthusiastic or talented really does no justice to her. she’s beyond all of that. her zest for life makes her one friend you’ll always want! if you don’t know how talented she is, you should drop by her art blog… and i dare you to come back without saying “WOW!!! frikkin fantastic!” *or something to the effect* THAT is how good she really is. and i think her personality really shines through because of how genuine she is. she doesn’t need to put on an act of enthusiasm, it comes naturally to her. and sometimes, i wonder how…!

she’s the first blog-pal i met. and i sure as hell glad that i met her! i used to believe that my blog made me look like a better person than i am. i am, in person, rather shy. i take time to open up to people… to consider them friends… but trish never made me feel that i didn’t know her. it was like meeting a long-lost friend… someone i wanted to meet, but hadn’t got down to. as they say, some connections just happen. and i am so so honored to be doing a guest post for her.

here’s to many more years of blogging and friendship.
love you gurl! MUAH!


This is the third Guest post..you can read the previous guest posts, here and here.