So that’s two things i am saying for the past two days
Whoosh- since my vacation just flew by.........whoosh.. and i didn’t have anytime to register the thoughts.
Phew - Since i am pretty tired from my trip..
The trip itself was VERY relaxing and refreshing and recuperating. We did a lot and at the same time, didn’t do much! Saw the Kentucky derby.. Which i assure you gives you a nice high! Eventually we did see a couple of women with those fancy hats and dresses... putting my flip flops and Capri’s to complete shame!!!
The horses... OMG... they were like lean mean machines..... i could see their veins! See the muscles.. and to some extent i avoided eye contact with the horses, since i felt guilty.. they were racing at these speeds for our entertainment perspective.
Our destination itself- Hico, WV was beautiful. The green and the serene surroundings just took my breath away. Just felt one with the nature.. lying below the trees with grass only 3 feet high, surrounding us , the lake right there.. and SD blowing the soap bubbles for V, and her chasing them away.. and pointing to all butterflies... just perfect.. like time came to a standstill and it was us and the sky and the vastness of nature!
There were times, when i was alone in the lovely secluded cabin with V enjoying the cricket’s music and the rain tapping on our rooftops. There were times when we were tripping over each other as we had the bhangra music flowing and all girls going crazy with the dance moves. Come on.. We had a cricket team with us- only 11 people (counting V)
There were the poker sessions (in which i won once!), the game-Scategories with all of us laughing till our stomach's hurt. There was V singing and dancing and enjoying her "buba" (aka bubbles)! We became kids: dancing in the rain till our feet hurt! OMG the food... let me not even start, the clothes being tighter is proof enough i say!
And then, there was the heart stopping adventures... the canopy tours, the zip lines, the white water rafting, the small hikes.. and the BBQ's! There was of course enough "Ben-gay" being passed around for the aching knees, ankles, arms.. enough pain killers for the "Accidents" in high waters... the ice packs all around.... but it was all overshadowed and sooo worth it... ... since no matter what. Every one wanted more!!
We had amateur photographers with us trying to capture it all... but not one picture can do justice to the serenity, the fun and the bonding of the trip!
So while i do phew now.....i still keep looking at all the pictures of the trip.. where we had family with us, met new friends and old, ...
All i can think of... when i can do something like this again, with V telling me in the baby bable... "moh ps" (aka: More Please!)
Friday, May 29, 2009
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Are we too rushed?
So last couple of weeks have been super busy and stressful. With work, with move and with all other small small things.. Last evening, SD being very thoughtful, nicely recommended, "you know what, go for one of those long bubble baths.. and relax.. and i will take care of everything else"
I was like, no, there is so much to do.. And then checked myself and said.. you know what, why not? I think a break would be nice.. Just some time to basically do nothing. Dinner was ready, V was off to sleep, house is unpacked...let me actually take this time for myself.. and relax.
But something was not right, all the time with the candles blowing and the soothing music in background, all that kept going through my mind was oh i should do this, i should put that furniture there, oh, for V, i should make this for lunch, for SD, get this for fathers day, for me do my nails while i just sit!
And then it struck me, are we always too rushed? The 45 minutes were supposed to be just unwind, and not think of chores but to actually just relax.. And alas it was not.
Of course, i felt good after it, since body was relaxed and was very happy to get a break.. but the mind was not as relaxed. I know i should have just closed my eyes and let the music take over.. but no, the multi tasking brain of ours comes in play!
And i think, that's true for all of us at different levels....
~While driving, we listen to NPR to get news updates, sometimes oh so annoyingly check blackberry's for the emails.. make calls to India.. well just use the time,
While i drive right?
~While cooking, we'll do the laundry.
~While playing with kids, we'll have the Roomba do its magic in other rooms.
~While lounging on Mag. Mile, we'll check carters for the baby hat we need to buy so badly..
~While relaxing with a movie at home, we will have the laptop open for the best deals for home theater system.
~Once in a while when i do hit the gym for my relaxation, i will always have my favorite show that i missed, or listen to the E-book have been meaning to finish off..
So you get my point.. we are very used to multi-tasking- over working and always being rushed and hurried... We do not just sit back and enjoy the process of things..
I remember seeing my dad, a very busy man of course, but his two hours in the morning are dedicated to himself- he will get up at 5 go for the walk, do the yoga, go for the swim do the pranayaam and totally enjoy the time of unwinding and freshening up. He would always stop to smell the flowers, to feel the morning mist on grass during the walk! Its only after all this, will he pick up the paper, or start the computer to make the morning calls to us here! The rest of the day, he will be multi-tasking all through out. But the time for relaxing, he is enjoying the process.
Why are we so rushed? Is it our hi-tech lives or us never having enough time? Why?
I know i should.. stop... relax..smell the flowers and take a breathing moment!
I was like, no, there is so much to do.. And then checked myself and said.. you know what, why not? I think a break would be nice.. Just some time to basically do nothing. Dinner was ready, V was off to sleep, house is unpacked...let me actually take this time for myself.. and relax.
But something was not right, all the time with the candles blowing and the soothing music in background, all that kept going through my mind was oh i should do this, i should put that furniture there, oh, for V, i should make this for lunch, for SD, get this for fathers day, for me do my nails while i just sit!
And then it struck me, are we always too rushed? The 45 minutes were supposed to be just unwind, and not think of chores but to actually just relax.. And alas it was not.
Of course, i felt good after it, since body was relaxed and was very happy to get a break.. but the mind was not as relaxed. I know i should have just closed my eyes and let the music take over.. but no, the multi tasking brain of ours comes in play!
And i think, that's true for all of us at different levels....
~While driving, we listen to NPR to get news updates, sometimes oh so annoyingly check blackberry's for the emails.. make calls to India.. well just use the time,
While i drive right?
~While cooking, we'll do the laundry.
~While playing with kids, we'll have the Roomba do its magic in other rooms.
~While lounging on Mag. Mile, we'll check carters for the baby hat we need to buy so badly..
~While relaxing with a movie at home, we will have the laptop open for the best deals for home theater system.
~Once in a while when i do hit the gym for my relaxation, i will always have my favorite show that i missed, or listen to the E-book have been meaning to finish off..
So you get my point.. we are very used to multi-tasking- over working and always being rushed and hurried... We do not just sit back and enjoy the process of things..
I remember seeing my dad, a very busy man of course, but his two hours in the morning are dedicated to himself- he will get up at 5 go for the walk, do the yoga, go for the swim do the pranayaam and totally enjoy the time of unwinding and freshening up. He would always stop to smell the flowers, to feel the morning mist on grass during the walk! Its only after all this, will he pick up the paper, or start the computer to make the morning calls to us here! The rest of the day, he will be multi-tasking all through out. But the time for relaxing, he is enjoying the process.
Why are we so rushed? Is it our hi-tech lives or us never having enough time? Why?
I know i should.. stop... relax..smell the flowers and take a breathing moment!
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Growing up into parents
SD and I were one of those, who celebrated our monthly anniversary the entire first year of marriage. We maintained a calendar a list of events/ places we visited we did when we were dating and post marriage. We would look at the excel spreadsheet, and remember stories of the expedition, look at those pictures.. and smile at our funky hair do's (SD had a phase of growing his hair that time.. i swear no spikes, just longer hair ;-)and me with funky bangs ]
Entire time for SD and me, like any other couple, was like a whirlwind and a never ending party! After i moved to DC, he would travel M-F, and weekends we would explore, new places, meet friends in the east cost, chill and pretty much never be home. And totally live on the spur of the moment. Then we said, lets slow down, lets actually be home for a bit! And we enjoy every minute of it. We'd meet our friends, and then chill the next weekend, by doing nothing but putting feet on the coffee table and enjoying a movie or going for a walk or a hike on the ‘Great Falls’.
We have a beautiful daughter, and the monthly anniversaries now revolve around her turning a month older and the calendar is more for her when she ate her first cereal, her first smile etc. etc. But we both still, once in a while sit down and reminisce about the first few months of new found happiness of parenthood and when V was small she'd do this. Completely forgetting, that she still is small ;-)
We have gotten into this wonderful schedule, if you will, over weekdays. Times of bowling on weeknights have been long forgotten. Our evenings are more to ensure things are in place for the next rushed morning. The good thing is V off to her dream land by early evening.... so we have the remainder of the night pretty much for ourselves.. to sit back and enjoy yummy home cooked food, and a nice Entourage episode.
Weekends are still spontaneous, yes it’s more around kiddie activities, but we don’t think twice before going with V to the park! She loves it, and we love looking at her on the slide with the wind in her hair :-) We still travel, meet all our friends, and make enough time for poker, movies (at home) and all that we did before! Yes, there are more planned brunches than dinners for sure! Only change, keep the volumes down a bit to ensure V doesn't wake up!
Yes, V is growing up, but i think more than her, SD and I are growing up into parents. Of course we do make our mistakes as parents. We argue about is this healthy for her or not. We'll discuss the day care, and which weekend park to play ball with her. With V getting bigger, we are evolving into parents. Still having our own time... knowing very well, very soon, weekends will be more for the soft ball games, and ballet classes.. and less of just "chilling" out.
Do we miss our more carefree and less responsible selves? Sometimes yes! But with kids, does life change? Yes, i would say it does and it evolves! It makes it more amazing and more beautiful! And its still a never ending party of the ‘goo goo’ and the ‘gaa gaa’ and the baby blabber!
“Life is good!”
Entire time for SD and me, like any other couple, was like a whirlwind and a never ending party! After i moved to DC, he would travel M-F, and weekends we would explore, new places, meet friends in the east cost, chill and pretty much never be home. And totally live on the spur of the moment. Then we said, lets slow down, lets actually be home for a bit! And we enjoy every minute of it. We'd meet our friends, and then chill the next weekend, by doing nothing but putting feet on the coffee table and enjoying a movie or going for a walk or a hike on the ‘Great Falls’.
We have a beautiful daughter, and the monthly anniversaries now revolve around her turning a month older and the calendar is more for her when she ate her first cereal, her first smile etc. etc. But we both still, once in a while sit down and reminisce about the first few months of new found happiness of parenthood and when V was small she'd do this. Completely forgetting, that she still is small ;-)
We have gotten into this wonderful schedule, if you will, over weekdays. Times of bowling on weeknights have been long forgotten. Our evenings are more to ensure things are in place for the next rushed morning. The good thing is V off to her dream land by early evening.... so we have the remainder of the night pretty much for ourselves.. to sit back and enjoy yummy home cooked food, and a nice Entourage episode.
Weekends are still spontaneous, yes it’s more around kiddie activities, but we don’t think twice before going with V to the park! She loves it, and we love looking at her on the slide with the wind in her hair :-) We still travel, meet all our friends, and make enough time for poker, movies (at home) and all that we did before! Yes, there are more planned brunches than dinners for sure! Only change, keep the volumes down a bit to ensure V doesn't wake up!
Yes, V is growing up, but i think more than her, SD and I are growing up into parents. Of course we do make our mistakes as parents. We argue about is this healthy for her or not. We'll discuss the day care, and which weekend park to play ball with her. With V getting bigger, we are evolving into parents. Still having our own time... knowing very well, very soon, weekends will be more for the soft ball games, and ballet classes.. and less of just "chilling" out.
Do we miss our more carefree and less responsible selves? Sometimes yes! But with kids, does life change? Yes, i would say it does and it evolves! It makes it more amazing and more beautiful! And its still a never ending party of the ‘goo goo’ and the ‘gaa gaa’ and the baby blabber!
“Life is good!”
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