Category: 100 happy days

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Happiness roundup – Week 10

Time for the week’s happiness roundup… Where does the week go? But then that’s a good sign isn’t it? Time moves fast when you’re happy, right? 

Here’s what made me smile this week…

1. That bye bye kiss to the kids

Believe me, I’m not thinking “Peace at last!” when they board the bus each morning.. Oh well maybe on just some days. Most days I count it a huge perk of being a SAHM… to have the leisure to wave to the kids. I’ve been doing it for about four years now and I still love it every single day. N shouts out these messages “Have a good day mama”, “Take care”, “Be happy”..punctuated by a dozen flying kisses. It’s a totally ‘aww’ moment. H likes to stick out his tongue at me or make a rude face.. Yeah apparently that’s how he shows affection. It’s ever more adorable and endearing to watch the dads blow back kisses to the kids. Oh I love mornings.

2. A super movie. 

Caught Queen this week and loved it. Watching that awkward behenji protagonist from Delhi find her feet and take wing was amazing. A must watch if you haven’t done it already.

3. A bit of crafting.

Although I was merely guiding, not doing it.. yet it always gives me pleasure to see something pretty take shape. First we did this simple bookmark for N’s “most strict teacher” (because of who she spent a quarter of the year crying each morning before school) who has now turned into favourite. 

Then my niece came to stay and made this amazing bag. I’d been waiting for ages to do this with N, but she just doesn’t have the patience. My niece however did a super job. Doesn’t it look pretty? 

4. Gujhiyas… 

I thought I was being proactive when I bought a pack of gujhiyas ‘for the guests’ some two days before the festival. But we finished it even before Holi came around and then were rushing around as usual at the last minute.

5. A quiet evening watching the kids play basketball.

Sitting in the balcony and watching kids play from a distance is just so relaxing. The sounds are muted yet the thump of the ball and the camaraderie in their shouts make me happy. I can watch them for ages.

6. Watching Chak De on the telly. 

This Saturday the kids and I watched it and enjoyed it for varied reasons. My primary one was SRK. Isn’t he gorgeous?

The kids, however, were so caught up in the film that by the end N was jumping on the sofa cheering India on while H, my lazy lazy son, prayed as they took on the Aussies.

7. And finally it has to be that mad mad festival.. Holi.

Your turn now. What made you happy this week?

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Happiness Update – Week 9

Here’s last week’s happiness update. I’m sure you guys know the drill by now so without much ado here’s what made me happy.

1.The Husband coming back home after almost a week

Such happiness.. I do need my jousting partner around.

2…. laden with boxes of special Lakhnawi mithai..

There was a box ONLY for me with this…

That’s Sohan halwa for the uninitiated. How I love love it but it has so much ghee that you can actually see a white layer when you bite into it. I was sent just two pieces so I don’t overindulge. I swear the parents keep tabs on my weight from across hundreds of kms! Of course I refused to share.

3. A non birthday present from the sister

Aren’t they gorgeous?

4. Becoming redundant bit by bit

This one is relief, pride, happiness all rolled into one. It’s so great to watch the kids grow independent.

4. Chaste Urdu from an autowallah

This sure made my day. As I was handing out change to the autowallah ‘Shukriya’ said he in such perfect diction and so politely that I was transported back home right away. No offence against the local Marathi but no language in the world can parallel the sweetness, grace or the elegance of Urdu.

5. A late night cup of tea with The Husband.

This used to be a ritual before he joined the gym and started crashing with the kids. Now it’s a rare thing to be cherished.

6. A big tight hug

Umm… nothing beats this.

The picture is an old one but the hug was just as warm
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H is for Happiness

.. and that’s the elusive thing I’ve been pursuing, with some success.

At the beginning of this year I’d decided 2014 would be a year of positivity for me. Fortunately I stumbled upon this site here – 100happydays.com and have been focussing pretty consistently on finding one happy thing everyday, 100 days in a row.

It has done me a world of good. The traffic lights turn red right after I go across, my queue at the billing counter seems to be moving faster and the kids seem to be behaving better.

Two things I specifically gained from the challenge

To look for the good in not so good situations

This Saturday I got back from the gym and as I entered the house “Ta Da!!”, said the kids, “look what we made for you!” Even before I could see what they’d made I saw pink… Everywhere.. dry pink colour was over their hands, their faces, their clothes and all over the balcony. Yeah the instinct definitely was to let go. But one look at their smiles and I couldn’t. Then instead of focusing on this…

I focused on this…

and this…

After a few deep breaths I noticed they had kept the mess to the balcony and had also laid out newspapers just like I’ve taught them to, before they start something messy. And I felt the anger melting away. After exclaiming at their artwork, together we swept and mopped and then I sent them off for a bath. Bad situation salvaged!

The other thing the challenge has done is made me 

think about ME..

..beyond the kids and family, I got thinking what makes me happy. Of course I love the kids and of course my life revolves around them.. a lot. However, I was glad to realise I find pleasure in so many other little things – watching the sun rise with the husband, a good book, a blogpost that made me go ‘WOW’, a quiet meal, a delicious salad, a hot cup of tea. Of course I was enjoying all of that all along, i just became more aware of it.

Sure, is fun.

Linking to ABC Wednesday

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100 Happy Days – Week 8

This week has felt exceptionally short what with one extra holiday thrown in. It has been a completely delightful one. I have exercised well, read, shopped, treated the kids, gone out with family and relaxed too.

Here’s what made me smile this week

1. Gogappas!

Early in the week The Husband came home with a pack of golgappas. There’s something about the smell of that tangy water that makes ‘my mouth water’, to use a cliche. I tucked in of course, though the thought continues to haunt me that he’s trying to sabotage my diet.

2. The sound of wind chimes..

..from the neighbouring building while I read my book on a quiet afternoon. How soothing is that! A bit paradoxical isn’t it – how a sound can add to the quietude?

3. Successfully performing orthopedic paeditric surgery

Nope I’m not a doc. Heh heh.. But here’s Pony with a broken leg. That’s N’s doll. Recognised her? Yeah, earlier today she made a smashing debut on the blog. After hours of searching we found her missing limb and I had the good fortune of putting it back for her. How contagious was N’s happiness!

4. Buying an identical T shirt

… but a size smaller! Yay! The weighing scales haven’t moved much – just about a kg – but I have lost some inches and that makes me feel so good. The Husband’s ploy’s not working too well.. hee, hee! BTW, I get colour fixated at times – it’s blue for now.

5. Waffles drowned in chocolate sauce

Check out that waffle in chocolate sauce. The kids and I went out for a late breakfast/brunch and this is what we ordered. I savoured every bite.. considering I had just a few.

6. .. being dragged to the gym by a dear friend

I’m not really a masochist and waking up early morning on a Saturday is just not me. However when a friend bulldozed me into it, it turned out to be more fun than I ever expected. And I exercised like hadn’t done in a long long while. Thanks J.

7. Early morning drive and breakfast with family

The SIL and BIL dropped by with my two nieces and all of use drove off to this tiny joint deep in the old city for a wonderful South Indian breakfast today morning. It’s one of those quaint places with just about four things on the menu and super fast service. The soft idlis and fluffy uttapams are to die for.

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100 Happy Days – Week 7

Over a month ago I took up the 100 Happy Days Challenge  (in a simplified version though) and I cannot believe I’m still here and enjoying it ever more. After last week’s slump I’m back in my happy space and so this week’s list is overflowing yet again. Picking and choosing from my favourites ..

Here’s what made me happy this week

1. Red red strawberries

This year marks the beginning of my affair with strawberries. The first time I had them years ago I remember feeling let down because I expected them to be much sweeter having been exposed to the shake first. But this year the tangy taste, part sweet-part sour, has taken me over completely (I’ve no clue why). And when I do get an unexpectedly sweet one, it’s just a bonus. Sounds like a life-lesson, doesn’t it – Accept people with their sweetness and sourness and you come to love them.. that’s strawberry philosophy for you!

2. Humming an old favourite

I heard H humming do re mi from his music class at school and that made me dig out my Sound of Music CD. After a long long time I revisited A few of my favourite things. Fun! By the way did you know do re mi has a sa re ga ma version that goes ….Sa se sagar yeh gehra sagar, re se  railgari dauri, ga se gana sab ko sunana…that’s as much as I gathered from H.

3. Love notes in funny languages

That’s H’s special language.

4. Getting to choose from a happy bunch

I picked Malala. It’s an amazing book about an amazing girl and her equally amazing family.

5. A lazy Saturday morning

Know what’s even better than waking up late? It’s that time when you are awake yet don’t need to get out of bed. Bliss!

6. Amazing reviews at the kids’ Open House

I’m not talking of academics here. Watch out for my next post. For now I’ll just say, I felt a very proud mum this Saturday.

7. Face timing ..

It was a first for me though I’ve been an iPad user for almost a year now. What fun it was catching up with my sister, my dad and a dear friend too.

Come on guys let me hear from you.. what made you happy this week?

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Linking up also to Marathon Bloggers for the last day of our week-long Feb challenge ‘‘A story for every picture, a picture for every story” and today’s prompt is ‘Red’.




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