Fun in the sun!

We kicked-off summer with a visit to the pool today! Love the 90 degrees weather when I'm at the pool...! They had this pool-a-palooza all day today, with games, music and fitness classes by the pool. We made it there (intentionally, as it was just too hot earlier in the day) later, when to Ella's delight they were still giving away these little mini-beach balls. Ella, of course was in splash heaven and wouldn't come out of the water. Of all the things she tried so far, water and swimming are by far her most favorite. I really wish and hope her asthma wouldn't be deterent this year when we may try swimming lessons again. Daddy was in the pool with her the whole time while I enjoyed sunbathing and snapping pictures of them :) Absolutely love the bright warm sunlight and how beautifully it reflects in the water!

Lounging...



So what's new?

The past couple of weeks have been pretty fast and furious. Only two days after landing from our India vacation, I had to pack up for a three-day business trip to good ol' Omaha. Aside from getting some things/meetings done for work, I managed to get back to my exercise routine thanks to the jetlag! It sure felt good to wake up at 5 am every morning and get on the treadmill... the only downside was that I would hardly get any shut eye at night... oh well, can't have it all, right? ;-) Luckily, Ella and Hrishi have adjusted much easier and faster than me. So we picked up from where we left off with piano and ballet lessons. Last Saturday I got some help with doing Ella's hair for her recital, yay! This was somewhat a big stress factor for me (I do worry a LOT!): you see I'm supposed to do a French bun out of the short hair she has! Thanks goodness for those wonderful ladies/costume mistresses at her ballet school who gave me some really good tips, and of course, for the hair gel and extra firm/hold hair spray!!

A first attempt here...

She looks so different with her hair pulled up... I love my little ballerina!

I have some pictures of her in her darling costume but I'm yet to download those from my Cannon. When I do, they'll be in here. Here they are!

On my fitness front, I AM SO HAPPY TO REPORT THAT I HAVE MET MY WEIGHT LOSS GOAL! I was reading someone's success story on Livestrong and they said that when someone told them "You have lost a lot of weight!" it sounded better than an "I love you!". Well, I don't know if I'd go that far, but boy IT FEELS amazing to have gotten here! It's been quite a ride, with many ups and downs, mostly ups due to a loving and supportive family and amazing trainer who coached me day in and day out and instilled some great habits in me. The great thing about this is recognizing that meeting a weight loss goal is not the end. I know it's not, not for me. I am taking up training for long(er) runs while strength/weight training will continue to be my focus. Sometimes I just think about all this and I almost don't recognize myself, not only physically, but mentally. It makes me so happy to be this new person and encourages me to keep on working on things I can improve not only in the fitness arena but in many other areas of my life where I'm lacking. Last year, when I started all this, someone told me that this next year was going to be one of the best ever for me. Well, that prediction came true.

And a few more pics from a dear friend's birthday party and play date!

Looking forward to a fun Memorial Day weekend of relaxation: a zoo trip and putt-putt golf are on our cal for now. Happy Memorial Day weekend everyone! :)

INDIA (the much awaited post!)

Don't you want to eat them all up?

We got to spend two great weeks with our family in India. It was a lot of fun to see everyone, enjoy good food, watching the children (cousins) play together, and just catch our breath after approximately two years of work and no break/vacation. Boy, it feels good to just be, just wake up in the morning and not have a ton of things on a to-do list, race against the clock every minute of the day, and crash dead tired in bed every night...

Ella had an absolutely fabulous time! She loved every minute of it, got to be in Hrishi's cousin's wedding to her delight, played with cousins galore, and was delighted with all the love and attention she got from her grandparents, aunts, uncles, and about everyone else in the family! She was a princess wearing these beautiful outfits my sister-in-law carefully selected and had sewn for her. She also enjoyed all the accessories (jewlery) that came with them! All in all, she was in heaven.

I love how the bright sunlight reflects int the beautiful peony pink silk dresses.

And how the shadows play in this picture...!

As there is so much to write about our trip and I don't think I'll get the time to do it before I forget most of it, I'll let the pictures do the "talking" and sprinkle a comment here and there.  Ella loved spending time with her cousins, running around the house, playing dress-up, watching movies, tending for azoba's plants, eating fresh mangos from the backyard, picking coconuts, riding camels, horses, and visiting a snake park at the local zoo. One day Hrishi and I took the kids to the circus, they had a blast. Another time he took them all to the movies.

I'm just so grateful for family and their love and thank them all with all my heart for the wonderful hospitality they provided. I particulary enjoyed my shopping trips with my sister-in-law, dear Appu, who is a fashionista and knows Pune shopping centers like the back of her pocket! And sleeping in, and eating yummy modocks (a delish Indian sweet), and chicken biryani made by aai, my mother-in-law who is an EXCELLENT cook, and the anniversary dinner, and all the beautiful gifts I got, etc., etc.

These were all taken in aaji and azoba's backyard in Pune and at the farmhouse. The plants and flowers are  breath-taking.

Hrishi got to play golf on a PGA-quality golf course in town and catch up with some very dear friends from Omaha who have since moved back to India, and with childhood friends. I'm so happy for him that he got to spend time with his dear friends!

(It was a special reunion for these three musketeers above, as it was ten years ago that they had started playing golf.)

My beautiful sister-in-law and brother-in-law Appu and Dada. Isn't she gorgeous? And she's so wonderful, loved spending time with you dear!!!