Recent Randoms

We met up with several families and to go to "Zoolights" last night. We may have qualified as a zoo of our own but the Phoenix zoo had some fancy lights.

Jaqueline, Ananda, Lueke, Bailey, Satvinder, Nirankaar, Chloe...and a bigger kid peeking from the side

At the park - I like the way the tall, skinny palm trees look against the setting sun. Satvinder spends most of her park time on the monkey bars and learned this upside down trick tonight.

We got the tree up today! Notice Satvinder's Amsterdam shirt - it was mine when I was her age. Fun to see her wear it now.

Thanksgiving Prep

Today was the annual Thanksgiving Feast as Satvinder's school. They started the celebration with songs, most of which involve hand movements and/or sign language.
I thought this picture was the best out of what I took since it showed the most participation. Then I noticed that Satvinder was giving everyone the finger...with both hands. I don't think that was the hand movement that Miss Rose taught them.
After school, Satvinder and I made pecan pies to share at the community Thanksgiving meal tomorrow. Pecan pies are always the way to go.

Photo Booth Pics - I love them

Last night's wedding reception had a photo booth for guests to take pictures and make a scrap book for the wedding couples. I am very fond of photo booth pictures so this was winning idea to me. It makes me wish I could throw a big, fancy party - complete with photo booth for the guests!

Zoolander fans might recognize "blue steel" in a that last pic.

Hula Hooping!

Mangala Sadhu Sangeet Singh received an adult sized hula hoop for his birthday. It really does make a difference to have the big size. For the first time in my life, I was actually successful at hula hooping for a short bit using his hoop (once!) Mangala Sadhu Sangeet Singh, on the other hand, is always successful. He makes it look so easy!

The Goings-on

Busy weekend! There was a big wedding in our community - lots of people in from out of town, celebrations, and parties. And we managed to stuff a few more things in too.
After the wedding, Satvinder and I stopped by the Indian Festival, where Yoga Phoenix (the yoga center I work for) had a table. Satvinder also had some school friends performing on the dance stage.

The evening wedding reception was great - one of the best wedding receptions I've ever attended. Yummy food, great atmosphere, lots of people, and fun stuff for the guests. Here, Satvinder is shaking her maracas as applause for one of the entertainers.

Satvinder and Mangala Sadhu Sangeet dancing


More dancing. Our friend, Hari Jot is a most hilarious dancer to watch.


Today Mangala Sadhu Sangeet and his dad relocated our fence to our property line (it was on the other side of that tree before) and THAT is worthy of celebration in itself. Our property is quite small so adding a couple feet is awesome!

Funny Stuff

My friend, Heather, made this and sent it to me. Big heads are always funny. You know you want to make one!

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

Infinite Expansion of Love

Man, I'm weepy today. Satvinder's birthday walk gave me the teary eyes...now this. Sheesh. There's just so much beauty that touches my heart.

Birthday Walk

I blinked and suddenly Satvinder is 5 years old. Today is her actual birth date. Her school does a sweet "birthday walk" to acknowledge birthdays. I find it really touching. I mostly wanted to just be present and experience it in the moment so I didn't take many pictures this year.

We brought this poster with pictures from each year of Satvinder's life. She got to tell the class about the pictures or about what she remembered from each year.


Then after sharing about that year, Satvinder carried a globe around a lit candle that was in the center of the circle, representing the earth's cycle around the sun. Meanwhile the class sung a sweet song. Satvinder was actually a very rapidly moving planet Earth - she circled the sun many times for each year! zoom, zoom, zoom!

Unrelated to the birthday - I couldn't help taking a picture of this "Windo" sign that one of the kids put on a classroom window. They are learning sounds, reading, and spelling. These kids gave me so many smiles today - they are really so charming. I love that to them, my name is "Satvinder's Mom."

Haha. Windo. It's just so cute.

Hey, the fish

Meet "Hey". Hey is a fish. Satvinder received this nice Betta fish from her friends, Sat Darshan and Nirankaar. And she named it Hey.

Good things about having a pet named Hey:

1. No wasted words. Simply saying "Hey" to the fish covers both the greeting and the identification.

2. Uniqueness. I bet you don't know anyone else with a fish named Hey.

3. New responses. The next time someone says "Hay is for horses" we can say, "No - actually, Hey is Satvinder's fish."

Satvinder's Cupcake Birthday Party

Yesterday we celebrated Satvinder's 5th Birthday with friends, family, and cupcakes.

Satvinder and party guests - check out the cute birthday hat that Satvinder received from her friend, Maria.

I made this cupcake shaped pinata, which was a fun and lengthy project since it had been nearly 20 years since I'd done paper mache!

Mangala Sadhu Sangeet Singh got on the roof and held the pinata over the edge for the kids to hit

Kids collecting pinata loot

Decorating cupcakes - that's right...you can put as many sprinkles as you want!

Happy Birthday to Satvinder!


Satvinder shrieked with joy when she opened her "My Little Pony" bus. The bus had been on her wish list.

It was a fun day!

Of Course!

Satvinder calls this trick "Pink Pregnant Bat on a Swing"

The Tree

Since the big storm back in August that uprooted many trees, we have left one of our trees in a side-lying position. It seems to be surviving fine - its just sideways.
People ask us, "So...you want to keep that sideways tree?" It could be debated. We COULD replace it with a tree that stands upright.


Here are the points of discussion - On the plus side: Satvinder loves climbing the tree, which she can now do since it is sideways. On the negative side: Our car is now a poop-mobile. Birds sit on the branches and unload continuously on our car.

Guess which side wins?

Smile

(This picture of birds has been circulating via emails - I don't know who took it - but they certainly caught the moment!)

YES WE CAN!

WOW! WOW! WOW! I am thrilled and excited and in tears. A historic day, a great celebration - today hope overcame fear. Elation.



The challenges are many but the possibilities....the possibilities are with us. This is huge. BARACK OBAMA! WOW!!!

Freaking awesome!

Recognize Anyone?

This is a website for Snatam Kaur's new kids yoga dvd: Shanti the Yogi. You can submit pictures of your little yogis and yoginis. You know I jumped at that opportunity!

Wedding Day

Today was the wedding of one of Mangala Sadhu Sangeet's best friends, Meher. It is kind of funny that this is a post about the wedding day and yet I don't really have pictures of the wedding itself. There was too much competition from people who were professionals! It was a really sweet wedding - a very joyful feel for everyone around.

Ravijit and Satvinder, getting ready in the morning. We're staying with Ravijit and his parents while we are in NM. Satvinder is fond of him - and his many puzzles.

Satvinder with her Dadaji and Nonni

Mangala Sadhu Sangeet Singh

Satvinder and I made a deal. If she could sit quietly through the wedding ceremony, I would take her to the playground. She did great!

The father of the groom, Sat Sansar Singh, got in on some playground time with the kids too.

Bride, Dharma and Groom, Meher - cake time

Satvinder dancing with her Pitaji

New Mexico

We are out here in New Mexico, enjoying friends, family, and beautiful weather. Yesterday Satvinder and I had a great day in Santa Fe, in between meeting up with the wedding party for large, celebratory meals.
We stopped in some stores in the Santa Fe Plaza. This one (above Satvinder) was a particular favorite because of the woman working there. She was so sweet and kind - and we really enjoyed visiting with her.

We found a playground to play at and Satvinder was very adventurous in her climbing. These monkey bars were quite high and long - I was shocked when Satvinder hopped up there and went all the way across.

Mangala Sadhu Sangeet Singh with the happy couple, Dharma and Meher.

School Parade

On Halloween, Satvinder's school has a parade - the children dress up and walk around the block, playing music, and waving at the neighboring businesses who come out to see them.
Satvinder and her friend Eleri at the tree - the spot where, for a few chaotic minutes, we try to get a group photo of all the kids

Satvinder and her friend, Ananda

The parade in motion

Lining up for classroom time

Painting masks


Song time (The teacher, Ninfa, was singing about trees so some of the kids were doing tree pose.)