Gratitude list for March 2019 #GratitudeCircle

How was my March? Just, busy. I was practicing for 2 dance performances and also giving classes on weekends. Work and home management is as usual without much challenges.

I couldn't complete reading even a single book but spent my time participating in blog trains by writing atleast weekly once. Iam so grateful for that.

In some discussion with a friend I heard about the dreaded C word again and the struggles the family is going through along with the patient. This made me realize how lucky we are for every small thing we have. Health, wealth, shelter, family, food, love, hobbies- every small thing. Life is unpredictable and nothing is permanent.

So, this month my gratitude list is very basic and ofcourse iam more than grateful for every little thing that God gave me.

Here goes my Gratitude list for March :

1. Health :

This always tops my gratitude list as you know, everything else like money can be earned but we should be blessed with good health.

Yes, we can improve our health by excercise and good diet but our genes/DNA impact some diseases that we get and eating good food is difficult these days with the pesticides being used in farming.

Iam grateful for my health and my family's and I pray to God that everyone be blessed with better health. I request everyone to focus on their health, be mindful and take good care of themselves.

2. Happiness

Be grateful for every thing in life,  you will be happy. Iam grateful for my happiness and contentment.

I read a beautiful WhatsApp forward from my friend who scientifically explained the reasons for happiness.

• Playing and exercising releases endorphines.
• Being appreciated by someone or being valued by someone releases dopamine.
• Sharing what we have and helping others release serotonin.
• Physical affection, hugging and being loved release oxytocin.

These 4 harmones ensure our happiness.

3. Hobbies

Iam grateful to my parents for introducing some hobbies to me at an early age which give me happiness. Reading books, dancing and painting are very relaxing.

4. Money :

We should all be grateful to God for having a shelter and food every day. Moreover,  iam grateful for having money for luxuries and money enough to lead a comfortable life.

5. Love :

I cannot tell you how grateful iam for my loving parents,  spouse, inlaws, children and my sister. They are the reason for my peaceful and happy life.

Being loved by someone is the greatest asset in life. Never take this for granted. Life is short. Love them back, forgive others mistakes, don't carry revenge and free yourselves.

So, that's about my generic but important gratitude list for last month. What are you grateful for? Do let me know in comments.

Have a happy April.

Until next time,

Linking this to #GratitudeCircle hosted by Vidya Sury.

The top 5 summer activities in Colorado

Summer is the lively and lovely season here. The long days give more energy and more light to do multiple activities. I wait for summer to start my gardening,  try new hikes, go for daily walks and to splash in the pool with kids.

Since we experience more cold days in Colorado,  we wait for summer. As you know, the state is surrounded by mountains and breathtaking scenery,  we have endless options to explore. All neighborhood parks will buzz with kids of all ages playing, biking, running etc.,

Here are the top 5 activities I would love to experience in Summer:

1. Hiking

In Colorado,  we don't have a limit on how many trails we can hike. 'Barr trail' to pikes peak seems to be everyone's target. I love to hike the kid friendly trails like seven falls, helen hunt falls, garden of the Gods, Red rocks open space and pulpit rock hike. All these are kid friendly and easy to medium trails.

2. Traveling

Summer is the best time to visit national parks in Colorado like rocky mountains national park, Mesa Verde national park and visit some national monuments like Colorado national monument,  chimney rock national monument. It is great to cool off at some waterfalls like seven falls, bridal veil falls, Alberta falls etc., The options are a lot. For a different experience,  we can  visit sand dunes national park or cave of the winds.

We have covered most of them but we are always ready to explore more.

3. Camping

We haven't tried camping yet but I know that there are a lot of beautiful places to soak in the beauty of nature. There are around 41 Colorado state parks and many private campgrounds as well.

4. Boating, white water rafting and fishing

We have many reservoirs and lakes in Colorado. Boating is fun for kids. For adventurous people, there are options of kayaking and white water rafting. Canon city is nearer to us which offers rafting packages near Royal gorge area. There are multiple rafting options at Salida, fort Collins,  Glenwood Springs etc.,

There are boating options near Denver like cherry creek state park and Chatfield lake. Some of the best lakes for boating are Grand lake in rocky mountain national park,  Grand Mesa reservoir,  Granby Lake and Boyd lake. Fishing is another great family fun activity.

5. Mountain biking/ cycling

The long days allow us to spend more time outdoors. Mountain biking is adventurous and fun. Younger kids can enjoy cycling. Colorado has many biking trails. Crested Butte is famous for beautiful scenery and biking trails.

How are you planning to spend the summer vacation? What activities are you planning to explore this year? Let me know in comments.

Have fun but stay hydrated.

Until next time,

Pc: All pics from pixabay.com



This post is written as part of a blog train #letsblogwithpri hosted by Prisha. Thanks to Cindy who kindly introduced me to this blog train. Read her post.

I would like to introduce you all to Gayatri, who is physiotherapist and a mom blogger. Read her parenting post here. 

Hosted By :
Prisha Lalwani
Mummasaurus.com
IG: @mummasaurus1
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Our Summer Travel wish list #funwithfamily

Summer break is coming soon. As a family who love traveling, Iam excited to plan some good vacations. There are many places on top of my mind around Colorado. Let me share those.

Fortunately , we covered 80% of Colorado in the last 2 years and now,  we want to venture out to the neighborhood states.

Here are a few places that iam planning this summer for our family vacation.

1. Utah
This is the first place in our list. Since Utah has many family friendly national parks, it's a must visit. I would like to visit Arches national park, hike the beautiful trails and experience the sunrise and sunset with the amazing geological formations in the backdrop.

I am also planning to visit Zion national park which is famous for its red cliffs and gorgeous canyons.

If time permits,  I would love to visit Bryce canyon to enjoy scenic views and watch the hoodoo rocks.

2. Yellowstone national park, Wyoming
Ofcourse,  this is a must visit place. Else, how can we get to see the most dangerous volcano in North America with all its hydrothermal wonders?

I would love to visit the old faithful hotspring splashing hot water like a fountain. Also, the colorful grand prismatic Springs. My kids would love this unique experience.

3. Telluride and Ouray
This trip from Colorado is pending from last summer. We were ready to visit the beautiful Telluride in harsh winter but somehow we had to change the plans to visit Santa fe, New Mexico instead.

This trip is long. We want to visit the Switzerland of America- Ouray, Visit the tallest waterfalls in Telluride, take Gondola ride, drive to Mesa vere national park, enjoy the scenic views of Durango and Silverton and experience the hot springs in Pagosa springs. A big road trip, right? So, even if it's late to plan, we want to ensure we cover all these places.

4. Mt Rushmore, South Dakota
We have seen this place with the USA president's faces beautifully etched on rocks in multiple movies, right? It might take 2 days to drive to Mt.Rushmore, but I think, this trip is worth it.

I want to include crazy horse and wind cave national park in this trip.

5. Glacier national park, Montana

Rocky mountains,  glacier lakes and Alpine scenery- I can only imagine this place to be like heaven.

I heard, "Going to Sun Road" is a must drive with water splashing on the road.

I will include Baring falls, Haystack creek and bird woman falls in our trip.

So, that's a lot of planning for Summer. Let's see if I can achieve my travel goals this year. Ofcourse,  I will update you all through my travelogues in my blog. Wait for it 🙂

Until next time,

Pc: All pics from pixabay.com

This post is written as part of a blog train #letsblogwithpri hosted by Prisha. Thanks to Sneha for introducing me. Read her post about fatherhood. I introduce you to Kavita Singh, who wrote about some funny things about her little one. Read her post here.




Hosted By :
Prisha Lalwani
Mummasaurus.com
IG: @mummasaurus1
FB: /mummasaurus1
Twitter: @mummasaurus1


Read my other #Colorado #TravelTales below:

1. A day with flowers and gardens, Denver, CO, USA

2. Hanging lake and hot springs, Glenwood springs, CO, USA 

3. Golden leaves and Gondola rides, Aspen, CO, USA

4. Rocky mountain national park #day 1


5. Rocky mountain national park #day 2 

6. Limestone caves and cliff dwellings, Colorado springs, CO, USA

7. Unique Statues and Ice Sculptures - Loveland, CO, USA

8. A beautiful Chapel and aircraft exhibits -  Colorado Springs, CO, USA

9.  Dangerous curves and Beautiful Scenery - Pikes peak highway, CO, USA

Why Book Reviews are important?

When I started my blog featuring book reviews, I didn't think much about the importance of book reviews. I just felt this is a platform to express my opinion on the books that I read. 

But, As an avid book reader, I give more importance to book reviews. 

Why? Because they make my job easy to decide on which book I have to pick next.

Yes, Book Reviewers are real influencers of book readers.

If I think deep about this topic, I see a lot of advantages of book reviews. As a book review blogger, I would love to share my opinion on the importance of book reviews in this post. 

Why do we need Book Reviews?

1. Help us pick the book of our interest

Many readers see the book cover and read the blurb to decide whether to pick that book as their next read or not.

 But, this generation readers are relying highly on book reviews. A good book review mentions - what the book is about, who might enjoy the book, what the author is trying to express and other important details like whether the narration is smooth, if it is fast/ slow paced etc., 

So, if you think about the above information provided by reviewers, it is definitely more than a blurb and helps us take a decision on choosing the right book.

2. To know ahead if the book might interest us or not

Everyone says, don't judge the book by the cover. Every person has different interests and thus a few books might be wonderful for us and a few might not. So, if we have to know ahead if the core concept of the book or the subject interests us, we can rely on book reviews. 

I don't like Non-fiction. They don't interest me. But, I have picked 'Blue Ocean Strategy' due to a friend's suggestion and review and I found it very helpful and interesting. A detailed review from my friend helped me to choose a book which I might not have selected in a library reading the blurb.

Amazon

3. Miscellaneous Details about the book:

Sometimes, I read book reviews to know some miscellaneous details about the book which are not related to the genre/ plot. The plot might sound interesting, but a few books are very slow paced, a few books use complex vocabulary and are difficult to understand, a few books have a lot of spelling/ grammar mistakes, a few have a bad narration / unreal characterization, etc., 

These details cannot be found in any book blurb. There are some great book reviewers that I know who pour their heart out in their reviews. There are bold enough to express their real opinion without using sugar coated words. I respect them and follow them on their blogs/ social media. Some of them are :

Shantala from Shanaya Tales
Namrata from Privytrifles
Mayuri from Sirimiri
Anuradha from Anu Reviews

4. To get an unbiased opinion :

Do you trust the average rankings in Amazon? Sometimes, I cannot trust them blindly. The average rating might be 4/5, but that book might not be the best for me. How do I know the unbiased opinion? How do I know if the average is because of 50 fake reviews/ 5 fake reviews? I find out by reading some reviews which are written in detail. 

A rating is a simple number but complex to understand as every reviewer ranks depending on the criteria that is important for them, which might not be a priority for other readers. There is a problem of fake reviews too, these days. So, A detailed book review is always better than an average rating shown in Amazon/ Good Reads while deciding on a book.

If you are a book reviewer, do you agree with the above points? Did I miss any other advantage of book reviews? Do let me know in the comments. If you are a book reader, do let me know if you also look for book reviews for the above reasons.

Here is my Good reads profile, in case you want to follow my reviews:
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/7275727-mahathi-ramya

Until next time,

This post is written for Blogchatter's Book Review Program. Did you join this program, if you are a reviewer or a book reader?

A Pregnancy Journey - A Dad's perspective

I heard an excited scream early in the morning. It is not usual for Anjali getting up before me. So, I ran to the bathroom to know what actually happened.

When I am about to knock the door before forcing it open, Anjali opened the door with a shocking expression combined with happiness.

 "Ashok, See this!", She showed a stick with 2 pink lines.
I am clueless. "Arey, Budhu, We are going to become parents!"

I am not sure if I was happy or very excited, But I didn't feel to do anything like the men do in movies - holding the heroine and jumping with joy. I asked Anjali to take doctor appointment and let me know so that I can take leave (if needed).

https://pixabay.com/photos/couple-pregnancy-marriage-romantico-1812777/

First 3 months

Anjali is completely changed. She has severe vomiting sensation almost all times of the day (I don't why then doctor calls it only Morning sickness). Because of that sensation, she became very sensitive to smells, couldn't go to the kitchen, couldn't eat anything, and becoming weak due to vomitings.

I feel sorry for her, but I couldn't do anything other than reminding her to take the tablet to avoid morning sickness. I observed that more traffic and more braking during the drive to office is increasing her morning sickness. I have chosen a different route which is long but with less traffic and less pollution for our daily commute to the office. I had to start cooking as she cannot bear any smell and I know I am horrible at cooking, but I have to try.

Next 3 months

This time is cool. Anjali is back to normal again, her morning sickness gone.  She is happy and taking care of her diet. We are shopping together for healthy food like nuts, fruits etc., She is also having cravings surprisingly sometimes even in the midnights, we are going on a fun ride in the nights sometimes just to get her favorite ice cream/chana chaat that she likes.

I also see her mood swings because of hormone changes. She gets upset easily nowadays and cries even for a small fight between us. Seems strange, but I understand, it is not her fault after all but due to hormonal changes. Sometimes, it gets tough, but I am practicing patience.

8 to 9 Months

Anjali has changed physically. She is completely different now. All her old wardrobe doesn't fit her now and we are going for shopping trips often.

She looks tired, she has become plump and always panting for even walking fast. I cannot do anything to share her load though. The baby might be growing fast inside.

I told her to take leave from office and rest at home, but she took work from home as she felt, it's boring without office work. She cannot see her feet itself these days, as her tummy stretched to some extent. Since swollen feet is becoming a norm these days, I am applying oil daily to her feet before sleeping.

Many times, she asks me to feel the kicks of the baby, but the baby stops kicking exactly when I touch her tummy. I think I am slowly making an emotional bond to my baby even without seeing. It seems strange though!

I am nervous too as Anjali entered 9th month. I am always on alert whenever my phone rings. I keep my car tank full of fuel in case I need to drive to the hospital any day. I keep gynecologist's numbers and my insurance contact numbers handy. I explored the shortest and fastest routes to the hospital beforehand. I couldn't sleep well in the nights as I am awake whenever she moves and I want to be ready whenever she needs help.

Hospital Room

Ok, Our wait ended today. But, the experience is a mix of all emotions. When Anjali is in her labor room shouting with unbearable pain, I felt handicapped as I couldn't help her in any way, except checking her regularly to motivate her.

Anjali gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. All tired, she is sleeping after bearing pains for 12 hrs. The baby looked adorable and this sweet little Angel is nothing like I have dreamed before. It is time that I share my love with another Angel - my beautiful girl along with Anjali.

These 9 months were a hell of a ride. All is well, that ends well, right?

Until next time,

As women, we go through a lot during pregnancy but we forget that our spouse goes through a lot too with us and without our partner's support, those 9 months won't be easy. That is the reason, I wrote this post which I dedicate to all lovely dads and husbands who support their wives on their pregnancy and parenting journey.

This blog post is written for a blog train #LetsBlogwithPri hosted by Prisha , this is my take for the given picture prompt.
Thanks to Sneha Jubin for introducing me. Read her take on why we shouldn't judge other moms. 
 I introduce you to Kavita Singh. Kavita is a mom blogger and book lover. Hop onto the train to read more interesting Parenting posts.




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Prisha Lalwani
Mummasaurus.com
IG: @mummasaurus1
FB: /mummasaurus1
Twitter: @mummasaurus1

The top 6 things to do in Santa Fe, New Mexico

Santa Fe is the capital of New Mexico. It is famous for its houses in pueblo style architecture and the art displays.

The town is vibrant, colorful and heaven for art lovers. There are innumerable art museums and several art stores displaying their creations. This place is also famous for its authentic Mexican cuisine. I am not foody, but I can vouch for it as I loved the Mexican food there.

Here are a few places that you must visit on a 2-day trip :

1. Meow Wolf :
I have prepared this list keeping my kids in mind, so all these places are kid-friendly. The first one from the list is Meow Wolf. This is a unique house with art installations and interactive media which is interesting for kids to explore. This is also kind of a maze where there are confusing connections between rooms. Kids and parents can spend around 2hrs exploring the house.

The tickets are priced at $29 for adults and $21 for kids. Check this site for more information.

Meow Wolf

2. Art displays :

If you love art, there is not a second of a dull moment in Santafe. There are innumerable art displays and museums. Canyon Road is a street full of art displays, metal installations, creative designs etc. There are around 200 art galleries present in the same street. So, A stroll in the evening on this road is very interesting. Nedra Matteucci Gallery is beautiful. 

3. Museums:

 Even though there are multiple museums, some of them that I found interesting are :

• Georgia O'Keefee Museum - Every Friday, the admission is free from 5 to 8PM. 
• Museum of Fine Arts
• Palace of Governors / New Mexico History Museum

4. Architectural displays :

If you love architecture, visit Loretto Chapel for their famous spiral staircase and the Cathedral Basilica of St.Francis of Assisi for beautiful designs. Since they don't allow you to touch spiral stairs, I felt, the admission fee is not worth it in Loretto Chapel.

If you have time, Visit Shidoni Gallery. Entry fee is $5 and Kids will love this.

You can visit the Oldest House in the

Cathedral Basilica of St.Francis of Assisi

USA. 









5. Outdoors / Hiking:

If  you like outdoor activities like hiking, walking scenic trails and exploring nature, then you can add the below places to your list:

Camel Rock Monument is on US Route 84 near exit 175. It is a good place to take pictures.

Kasha - Katuwe Tent Rocks National monument is a unique place to watch rocks formed like cones. These cone-shaped formations are the result of Volcanic eruptions that occurred around 6 million years ago. This is approximately 40 miles from Santa Fe.

Image by : https://pixabay.com/photos/tent-rocks-kasha-katuwe-desert-796004/

Bandelier National Monument preserves the Petroglyphs and the ancient Pueblo style cliff dwellings. 

Also, Kids would love to visit Liquid Light Glass. It is a glass gallery/ studio. Children will be excited to see the demos of how glass is made and they can even take classes.

Santa Fe Botanical Garden is a good place to explore different plants and flowers. Even the road leading to the gardens has excellent mountain views. 

Camel Rock Monument

6. Food :

If you love Mexican food, do try 

The Shed 
Cafe Pasqual's
Compound Restaurant

For lovely desserts, check these places
Whoo's Donuts
Ecco
Kakawa Chocolate House

Kakawa Chocolate house is famous for Aztec Warrior Chocolate Elixir. Blue corn pancakes are the preferred local flavor for breakfast and Strawberry Habanero Gelato is a must try at Ecco.

How did you like this travel guide? What activities you might enjoy as a family in Santa Fe? Do let me know in comments.

Until next time,

Gratitude List for February 2019 #GratitudeCircle

I am late to the Gratitude Party :-) There are other things which kept me busy and away from blogging in March. Somehow, found time only today to make my gratitude list. 

February has been an amazing month with our anniversary and our elder son's birthday. We could go on a road trip too after a long time, which is such a relief. 

I am grateful for:

The strength and support of the family:

After a long time, we have spent some sleepless nights due to kids being sick. But, I thank God that those days are gone. 

The weather is worst this year in Colorado compared to the last 2 years. We have seen many snow storms. The temperatures fluctuated like crazy, one day while it was 60 Fahrenheit, the next day was the snow storm with single digit temperatures. Kids fell sick multiple times, but we (my husband and myself) could survive and come out of it.  

Travel :

Travel is such a booster to my energy. I am very happy to have traveled to Santa Fe, New Mexico for our anniversary. A bit busy now, so couldn't post my travelogue yet. 

Santa Fe is a unique town for art lovers. The sculptures and metal art displays are amazing. The camel rock and the wonderland style 'meow Wolf' is also good.

 This was the only trip that we had very less time / even no time to plan. Booking hotels and packing bags itself was tough though everything went well. 

The Cute Robot at Meon Wolf

Dance Practice :

I am happy to have started dance practice again. This activity will keep me fit for some days. 

My Dance class students are learning fast and going ahead, which means I have to practice more to teach them. I am enjoying this phase. With 2 more performances planned in April, Even this month I am focusing more on my dance skills. 

My only goal is to improve my stamina at least to some extent by regular practice.

Painting Party :

I always think that the kid's birthday parties should be celebrated in a different way. This year, we chose Art which is the favorite for my elder one. 

So, I have enjoyed purchasing canvases, painting supplies to all the kids who attended the party and the kids enjoyed painting well. A cool celebration!

Kids Paintings

Satyanarayana Pooja and New car :

I feel grateful and blessed as our family could perform Satyanarayana Pooja at the temple. We also got the New car which is an 8 seater and a good deal. My children loved the Van as it is very comfortable and spacious for them. We got this car during a snowstorm, but all is well that ends well, right? I am so happy about that. 

First Time drove through a winter storm

How about your February and March? Let me know in comments.

Until next time,