Good Bye 2016 #FridayReflections

This year has been a hell of a ride with many ups and downs. I don't set any specific goals or choose a specific direction during the start of the year, but if I had to think of one word which describes my 2016, it is 'CHANGE'.

Change is the only constant of life. 

I know this quote for a long time and I repeat it whenever a change is inevitable. This is to prepare my mind to give less resistance. But, this year has been full of changes like moving to a different place, quitting my job, engaging kids more, cooking, freelancing, blogging, reading a lot of books etc.,

This year started with my father's Shashtipoorthi (60 years completion) in January. I enjoyed organizing the family function and it sure made a lot of lovely memories in my heart. February and March went in a jiffy with my elder one's birthday celebrations and school exams. We both had a fun time making many crafts too. By the end of March, I have quit my job and moved to a new place. Being a house wife, managing kids and cooking was tough initially, but these experiences taught me new skills and patience. Till September, I read a lot of books, reviewed, explored many new places, tried new cash back apps, tried user testing and blah blah. October was a fun time for Halloween and a lot of purchasing for thanks-giving. Here comes the December with the most awaited vacation. Atlast, time has come to bid farewell to 2016.

Source:www.pixabay.com

More posts will follow on my recent travelogues, which I am as always excited to share on my blog :-) and more book reviews too will pour in soon. But, this post is brief as it is holiday time and I don't want to be with my laptop for more time.

So, bid a farewell to the wonderful year 2016  and ring in the new year with the positive spirit.

Here are my hearty wishes to all my blog readers for the great new year ahead :-)

Until next time,

Linking this to #FridayReflections hosted by Sanch and Corinne.

On-Request Laundry in Benguluru with LaundroKart App

It won't be too far-removed to call this era 'optimized individuals'. Youngsters prepared to pay for on-request services to spare time from busy schedules. This is the purpose behind such a large number of on-request benefits flying up and doing truly well across different cities in India.

On-request is the eventual fate of businesses for conveying quick and accurate services. We as of now get video gushing on request, taxicabs are accessible on-request, even our staple is on-request. I haven't utilized the most, however, I am told there is a crystal gazing request too.
Heard of laundry on-request benefit?

Image courtesy:www.pixabay.com

We have one of the Best dry cleaners in Bangalore constructed with its online laundry services respect to request clothing administration as of now working in and around Koramangala. The group has been running operations for a long time and has effectively finished almost all request on the go. Clothing services are simply not an organized one but rather likewise an extremely comfort driven market. You won't give your garments to the adjacent 'laundry Walla bhaiya' on the off chance that you know he doesn't do the clothing great. LaundroKart services are attempting to sort out clothing folks consequently, sparing the purchaser the bother of managing them specifically.

Engaging kids in this holiday season is tough and with whole day outdoor play, stains on shirts are unavoidable. Isn't it better to focus on engaging kids and save time from tough laundry?

These consumer-oriented services driven by smartphones have become a boon in guise for the generation today. A workaholic lifestyle can only be calmed by such optimized and advanced services in cities like Bangalore. So save yourselves from “itne paise mein itna hi milega” situations and switch to online home based laundry services at a great price and welcome home one stop doorway solutions to all problems with your clothing. Try now! Simply download the internet app on your smart phones and schedule your week’s laundry today. Try LaundroKart and know what believing in quality feels like.!

Until next time,

5 ways to engage kids during holidays

It's tough to engage kids during holidays. I am not an expert in this subject but I am trying all different ways until I find out the best possible way to engage kids without us (parents) not getting very tired. I am using the below ways to engage my kids during Christmas holidays. Let me know if you have some other great ideas :-)

Pin it for later!

1. Outdoor play or a walk
This is the best way to engage kids and also get some benefit from walking for ourselves. I prefer taking my kids to a play area or let them ride a bicycle. I also enjoy taking walks even though my 2-year-old is a tough nut to handle as he likes to run :-(
 A simple ball game or a disc throw or a bicycle ride or a play in the park can engage kids at least for one hour.

2. Painting and crafts
I know crafts need a lot of time from us, but this activity keeps the kids engaged for a long time. I even give a crayon and a white paper to my younger one who is 2 years and encourage him to scribble something. It keeps him engaged and he seems to enjoy the time. I love working on simple crafts with my elder one like preparing something from pista shells or egg cases or pencil scrap.

3. Travel
Kids love travel and anyways it is good for them to explore new places and observe different people and cultures. We can play a lot of games during traveling like counting cars with the specific color, writing down the names of the places that we come across, encourage them to briefly write about the travel and stick photos. A travel need not be to an exotic resort or to an amusement park, it can also be to a neighborhood lake or a trail in the park.

4. Teaching the mother tongue
This is of course very important as schools are not giving much importance to our mother tongue when compared to the English language. I try to make my elder one write the Telugu alphabets and tell him words that start with that letter. This is one of the activities I planned for his holidays.

5. Recreation that they like
Let it be watching Tom and Jerry cartoon or playing with cars and building blocks. It's their holidays and they should enjoy in their way too. Instead of making them watch Oggy and cockroaches or Doreman, we introduced our kids to interesting documentaries on youtube about how tunnels are made, how large ships carry cargo or how ships operate or how french fries are made in the factory. These days, we are watching these videos with kids to keep them away from cartoons and games in tablet :-)

So that's how I planned to engage my kids for this holidays.

What activities did you plan for the holidays for your kids? Do let me know in comments.

Until next time,

Image courtesy: www.pixabay.com, google image labeled with non-commercial reuse.

5 wishes that came true #ThankfulThursdays

Here is one lovely prompt for this week's #ThankfulThursdays - A bloghop hosted by Amrita and Tina.

Prompt: 5 wishes that came true which you are thankful for.

Image courtesy: www.pixabay.com 

Wish #1
Blog daily for sometime
With 2 kids I never thought I could blog daily. But, I could make this happen not once but twice! Isn't it wonderful? I successfully completed April A2z challenge and daily writing challenge in November. Thanks to WriteTribe group and blogher writing lab for inspiration.

Image courtesy:www.pixabay.com 

Wish #2
To complete reading at least 30 books in a year
I have read and reviewed 37 books already. This year has been good for reading.

Wish #3
Start dance practice after a gap
I could do this by the end of the year. Still it's worth a mention as i was thinking to start my classical dance practice from a long time. There is no bad time really to start a good practice. I feel refreshed:-)

Wish #4
To stay permanently at a scenic place
I love going for vacations to nice hill stations, valleys and enjoy nature. I also dreamed of waking up in a cool place having coffee while relaxing my mind with scenic views of misty mountains. Oh! This year is just perfect and my wish came true.

Wish #5
Have stress-free life
I think, this dream has partially become true. I quit my job and am trying to get some time for myself by relaxing more,  reading, writing to my heart's content, try crafts, new recipes and travel more. I am also enjoying performing some user testing for some websites which I love. Days are gone when I have to rush to office the next morning even without good night's sleep due to kids.

So these were my wishes that came true in 2016 for which I am very grateful to the almighty. It's nice to join #ThankfulThursdays this week and remember these wishes.

Did you also wish for something in the beginning of the year? How did you feel when they became true? Do let me know in comments.

Until next time,

Now and Forever by Simi K Rao - [Book Review]

About the Book:

Can Shaan and Ruhi face their biggest fears and unite together?

Shaan and Ruhi Ahuja, very much in love Indian newlyweds, discover each other in Simi K. Rao’s Now and Forever—the sassy and sexy sequel to Inconvenient Relations. After getting the scare of their lives while traveling in the Grand Canyon, Shaan and Ruhi go back home to one dilemma after another. Shaan’s job is in jeopardy, and one of Ruhi’s closest friends, Sunshine, needs her. How will Shaan and Ruhi handle life’s hurdles, while still trying to get to know each other as husband and wife? Will they be able to forsake all others and consolidate their relationship?

Book Links:

Goodreads * Amazon

My Review

This is the second part of arranged marriage series. Read my review of the first book here.

While the first book is about the blossoming relationship between Ruhi and Shaan, the second book is about their matured relationship. The story is about the trust and love that they build for each other and overcome obstacles together.

'Now & Forever' starts with silly fights and makeups as every couple have and improves to a matured friendship between the couple. When Shaan has to face challenging times, Ruhi extends her support and love. She also does something coming out of her comfort zone for the love of her life. Unlike the first part, this book has enough twists and turns to keep the reader hooked to the book. I loved the way Ruhi takes up the responsibilities and handles tough situations by herself when needed.

The title of the book is apt as Ruhi and Shaan's relationship grows to a matured level. The pace of the book is slow initially but gets better after Shaan is arrested by the Police. The last few pages are interesting.

My Rating:
4/5

Ps: I have received the advanced review copy from the author through Book r3vi3w tours and this is my honest opinion on the book.
About the Author:

Simi K. Rao was born and grew up in India before relocating to the U.S., where she has lived for several years. The inspiration for her books, and other projects, comes from her own experience with cross-cultural traditions, lifestyles and familial relationships, as well as stories and anecdotes collected from friends, family and acquaintances.

Rao enjoys exploring the dynamics of contemporary American culture blended with Indian customs and heritage to reflect the challenges and opportunities many Indian-American women face in real life.

Much of Rao's down time is devoted to creative pursuits, including writing fiction, poetry and photography. She is an avid traveler and has visited many locations around the world.

A practicing physician, Rao lives in the United States with her family.

Contact the Author:

Website * Blog * Facebook * Twitter * Goodreads


Other Books in the Series:

Shaan Ahuja found himself bowing to tradition and agreeing to an arranged marriage to the beautiful Ruhi Sharma. He went through the motions but had no intention of carrying through on his vows. His last foray into matters of the heart with an American girl had left him scarred and unwilling to try again. Thoroughly disillusioned and disgruntled he wasted no time in making his intentions clear to Ruhi on their wedding night. But, he was completely unprepared for what his new wife had in mind.



This multi-cultural contemporary romance story of an arranged marriage is a beautiful blending of showing the Indian and American cultures. Readers will learn more about the Indian heritage and the romance that happens behind closed doors in an Indian relationship in Simi K. Rao's Inconvenient Relations. This coming of age story about true love explores multi-cultural issues.

Goodreads * Amazon

Giveaway:

1)  A $10 Amazon Gift Card 

2) A kindle copy each of Inconvenient relations and Now and Forever. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Until next time,

A Rebel Among Us by JDR Hawkins - Guest post

About the Book:

After David Summers enlists with the Confederate cavalry, his delusion of chivalry is soon crushed when he witnesses the horrors of battle. Shot by a Union picket, he winds up at a stranger’s farm. Four girls compassionately nurse him back to health. David learns his comrades have deserted him in Pennsylvania following the Battle of Gettysburg, but his dilemma becomes much worse. He falls in love with the older sister, Anna, who entices him with a proposition. To his dismay, he must make a decision. Should he stay and help Anna with her underhanded plan, or return to the army and risk capture?





Buy Links:

Goodreads * Amazon



Here is the guest post from the author hawkins. Glad to have her here.

Why did you choose this concept for the book

About ten years ago, I won a trip to Gettysburg, courtesy of a small Colorado mountain town that was holding a contest. I travelled to Pennsylvania, and after seeing the massive battlefield, I was bitten by the Civil War bug.  The trip inspired me to write a story about a typical Confederate soldier whose family didn’t own slaves, and who came from a rural background. A Rebel Among Us, the third book in the Renegade Series, finds the main character, David Summers, in a unique situation. He winds up at the farm of Anna Brady, and realises the Confederate army has abandoned him in Pennsylvania. But that is just the start of his troubles.

And the impact on people after a battle.

My books extensively discuss what people went through after a battle. In the first novel of the Renegade Series, A Beautiful Glittering Lie, Hiram Summers fights in numerous battles in the Eastern Theatre with the 4th Alabama Infantry Regiment. Not only didthe soldiers suffer, but their loved ones at home did, too. In one scene, Hiram’s wife, Carolyn, goes to the local mercantile to see if her husband’s name is on the list of the deceased. I can’t imagine how terrifying that must have been. In the second book of the series, A Beckoning Hellfire, Hiram’s son, David enlists with the Confederate cavalry and is immediately hurled into battle. He loses his best friend, whom he convinced to enlist with him. Guilt-ridden, David is caught between his conscience and his duty. Following the Battle of Gettysburg, he is wounded, and his horse, Renegade, takes him on a wild ride to a nearby farmhouse. A Rebel Among Us describes David’s recovery and predicament, as well as the guilt he feels in leaving his family, seeking out revenge, and fighting an enemy that has now become his saviour.

About the Author:

J.D.R. Hawkins is an award-winning author who has written for newspapers, magazines, newsletters, e-zines, and blogs. She is one of a few female Civil War authors, uniquely describing the front lines from a Confederate perspective.

Her Renegade Series includes A Beautiful Glittering Lie, A Beckoning Hellfire, and A Rebel Among Us. All three novels are award winners, and tell the story of a family from north Alabama who experience immeasurable pain when their lives are dramatically changed by the war. Ms. Hawkins is a member of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, the International Women’s Writing Guild, Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers, and Pikes Peak Writers. She is also an artist and singer/songwriter. Ms. Hawkins is currently working on a nonfiction book about the War Between the States, as well as another sequel to her series.

Contact the Author: 

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Pinterest * Goodreads * Amazon



Other Books in the Series:

 

(Click on the Cover for more details)

Until next time,

Cabbing all the way by Jatin Kuberkar- [Book Review]

About the Book:

Twelve people agree to an idea of running a shared transport service from a common residential locality to their out-of-civilization office campus. Twelve different minds with equally diverse personalities gel with each other to fulfil a common need. At first, the members collide on mutual interests, timings, priorities and personal discipline, but in the course of their journey, they become best friends, make long-lasting relationships, mentor and help each other on various mundane matters. The journey goes on fine until one day some members try to dictate terms over the group. The rift widens with each passing day, the tension surmounts and finally all hell breaks loose... Will the journey continue? Fasten your seat belts for the journey is about to begin...

Goodreads * Amazon

 My Review 

The first thing that connected me to the story is Hyderabad. I understand the hyderabad roads, the traffic, problems in share autos and the tiredness on reaching the office after 1 hour of frustration. This book is all about the shared transport that a group of 12 office goers arrange by themselves to travel between their office and home and vice-versa. The story is about new friendship that blossoms between 12 strangers outside their office.

I too travelled in an office cab with my colleagues and i beleive that great friendship blossoms between colleagues and co-passengers as they have at least 1 hr time to pass in peak traffics. There also goes a lot of understanding and adjustment to catch the cab on right time. This book is a fun ride with hyderabadi punch dialogues and half baked English by Mohan, though I wonder how HR selected Mohan to work in the company first place. The narration is easy going but a few episodes like anthakshari and teasing the friends is quite boring to read.

People like Saina will be present everywhere who think about themselves only. The love story Raghav and Avni is good, the help and advice that cab members provide each other is impressive. However, over time the cab co-passengers take the cab for granted and they atlast realize that the purpose is important over anything when the cab services stops. There is not much story in the book but it's all about friendships,  misunderstandings, selfishness, egos and adjustments. The title of the book is apt and the book cover is OK but not very attractive.

I would recommend this to working professionals who travel to office by shared transport. If you are a hyderabadI, you might enjoy more. This can be a quick read of 150 pages.

My Rating
3.5/5


Excerpts from the book

----------------------
What a relief it was. It felt like we were all prisoners for life and had been unexpectedly released on an unconditional bail. A strange sense of freedom engulfed all of us and we smiled at each other. The feeling was comparable to a holiday that came just before Diwali, during our school days. It allowed us to freely burn crackers while our parents were off to work. We had a whole day ahead of us . . . No bosses, no family, no kids, no mundane chatter…nothing at all. A whole day, just for us, to unwind!
--------------------------
“I HATE these dramas and the daily serials, especially the ‘saas-bahu’ stereotypes. They show women in such poor light. At first, a girl gets married and everyone is happy. Then suddenly, her shady past comes to light. This Sati Savitri happens to be the object of desire of a forgotten boyfriend. When the story gets stinking rotten, then someone is murdered or resurrected and the bugging continues . . . Oh my God! According to me, these serials are spoiling a whole generation by branding every mother-in-law as a scheming monster and daughter-in-law as Dracula-in-law . . . Gosh! I hate them . . .”
-----------------

Sometimes I asked myself, ‘What was so different about this crazy group that made it stand out?’

‘May be because it was a group where we were all equals. A place where no one dominated, no one pressed their opinions, no fake emotions, no forced relationships, no undue commitments. It was like a parallel universe that we stepped in and out of each morning and evening. It was a different world with some rules but no compulsions, there were deadlines but they weren’t rigid, there were conflicts, but nothing personal about them.
It was “our” own world with just “us” in it.’
------------------------------

“‘Management by inaction.’ That is the only solution right now. In situations like these, we should not try to fix anything. Let relationships take time and get adjusted by themselves,”Sushant said as we walked out of the cafeteria.

About the Author:

For the mortal world, I pretend to be a Software Engineer who works hard (or hardly?) in the hours of a day. I am the guy next door, a hard core Harry Potter fan and a movie buff. I literally ‘live’ every movie, I have strong opinions about its content and I hate it when a movie based on an interesting concept is messed up for the sake of commercial value. I enjoy watching cartoon shows (doremon, dora and Choota Bheem) with my son. I never get bored of listen to the endless chatter of my wife. When I’m not writing, I make toys for children.

But beyond the boundaries of this ‘cholesterol rich’ coil, I am a rider of rapturous thoughts. I am a thinker, a philosopher, a seeker, a story-teller, a writer, a wanderer and every other thing that a thought can be. At times some of these figments fire out of my thoughtful bowl and command me to write, muse, create, recreate, destroy…EXPRESS!

Who Am I? I have been asking this question to myself since 33 years, and I got a different answer always. Sometimes I get confused and think, am I asking the right question to seek the correct answer? Or may be that am I missing the whole fantastic universal drama around me while I am busy finding an answer to an irrelevant question?

Does the answer even matter?


Until next time,

My favourite baby products #MondayMommyMomments

The soft skin of the babies and the smell of their body are awesome. I always wonder, if the smell is from the milk they drink or from the baby powder that their mom's put on them ☺ This thought made me think of my favorite baby products.

Body lotions and creams: Aveeno is my trusted brand for body wash and body lotions. I have used Johnson's products for sometime and settled in with Aveeno for both the kids. They have fragrance free range with a combination of oat meal extract for baby's sensitive skin.

Breast pump and feeding bottles:
As many mothers already know, medela is a popular brand for good Breast pump. Avent PhiliP feeding bottles are unique with wide nipples. Even if it's juice or milk, my kids loved these bottles.

Diapers:
I love huggies the best. The quality is the way I wanted. I tried pampers too for my kids but they were thin compared to huggies. Many new models and brands have come recently so Iam sure there might be a great product available now when compared to huggies.

Clothes:
I prefer max and firstcry.com for toddlers and mee mee , just born for infants. Of course, kids are lively and lovely in any dress they wear.

Toys:
Since I have boys, hot wheels and building blocks were their favourites. I remember buying a set of 60 cars to my elder one when he is 3 years old 😀 you know my kids are just crazy of cars.

Cutlery:
I didn't go by any brand but used to buy a lot of plates, spoons and forks with their favourite cartoon characters. Mc queen car is their most lovable character
, so almost all types of bowls, plates and spoons had that car. I also used to like Nuby products.

Baby bibs and napkins:
It's fun to buy bibs as I remember finding the cutest ones in just born and mee mee. These make life easier. The small napkins come as a set with vibrant designs are my kid's favorite.

So, these are my 7 favorite baby products. Do you also have memories of great baby products? Please do share in comments.

Until next time,

Linking this to #MondayMommyMomments hosted by Deepa and Amrita.

Image courtesy: All images from pixabay.com

Inconvenient relations by Simi K Rao - [Book Review]

About the Book

Shaan Ahuja found himself bowing to tradition and agreeing to an arranged marriage to the beautiful Ruhi Sharma. He went through the motions but had no intention of carrying through on his vows. His last foray into matters of the heart with an American girl had left him scarred and unwilling to try again. Thoroughly disillusioned and disgruntled he wasted no time in making his intentions clear to Ruhi on their wedding night. But, he was completely unprepared for what his new wife had in mind.



This multi-cultural contemporary romance story of an arranged marriage is a beautiful blending of showing the Indian and American cultures. Readers will learn more about the Indian heritage and the romance that happens behind closed doors in an Indian relationship in Simi K. Rao's Inconvenient Relations. This coming of age story about true love explores multi-cultural issues.

Goodreads * Amazon

My Review

This is the first part of the arranged marriage series by Simi. This is my second book of hers and I love the way she writes simple yet beautiful love stories. Any relationship is complex and an arranged marriage is definitely a difficult subject to deal with as each couple have a different story to tell about their companionship, love and adjustment.

The protagonist Ruhi marries Shaan and her hopes are shattered the wedding night itself when Shaan mentions about her love affair and his inclination towards heading for a divorce. Then, the story goes about their companionship, attraction, love,  egos, expectations etc., 

This reminded  me of Mills and Boone's love stories. I loved Ruhi'S character. She is independent,  stubborn and at the same time a traditional teenager with lots of dreams about her married life. There is a constant tug of war of emotions throughout the book. Ruhi like any other bride of arranged marriage believes that her life would be happy with Shaan until he reveals his affair. She has an attraction towards her husband and starts appreciating his gentleman behavior but cannot completely trust him and suffers a lot because of her conflicting emotions . This is very realistic. Obviously, it's not easy to lead life with someone who rejected your rights without any thought and hurt you badly.

I loved the sweet romance and beautiful characters like Sooj and Debo. But, my only complaint is that the novel is very lengthy and gets boring in the middle. The title of the book is very apt and the cover is good.

My Rating: 3/5

I would recommend this to romance lovers.

Ps: I have received this advanced review copy from the Author through book r3vi3w tours in exchange of an honest review and this is my unbiased opinion on the book.

About the Author:

Simi K. Rao was born and grew up in India before relocating to the U.S., where she has lived for several years. The inspiration for her books, and other projects, comes from her own experience with cross-cultural traditions, lifestyles and familial relationships, as well as stories and anecdotes collected from friends, family and acquaintances.

Rao enjoys exploring the dynamics of contemporary American culture blended with Indian customs and heritage to reflect the challenges and opportunities many Indian-American women face in real life.

Much of Rao's down time is devoted to creative pursuits, including writing fiction, poetry and photography. She is an avid traveler and has visited many locations around the world.

A practicing physician, Rao lives in the United States with her family.





Contact the Author:

Website * Blog * Facebook * Twitter * Goodreads

Giveaway:

1)  A $10 Amazon Gift Card 

2) A kindle copy each of Inconvenient relations and Now and Forever. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway



Until next time,

10 ways to win my heart #FridayReflections

This is the new prompt for this week's  FridayReflections hosted by Sanch and Corinne.

10 ways to win your heart

After serious blogging for a month, I think it's time for a fun personal post :-)

10 ways to win my heart:

Plan a trip
Take me anywhere, a mountain or a beach or a forest or a resort or just to a near by park, I would surely appreciate that because I love to experience new places and enjoy nature.

Buy me a book
It's an easy not so expensive way to win my heart. But, self help and management books are a big No. Even kid's story books and lifestyle magazines draw my attention.

Help me in cooking
This is a big relief if you can help me in cooking or prepare me a dish for lunch or dinner :-) Kitchen is one place where I don't want to spend much time in my house.

Buy me a scented candle
I love scented candles that decorate my home as well as spread nice fragrance. This is the best gift that I will appreciate forever. I love flower vases too.

 Engage my kids
I know, this is very difficult thing to ask for. Actually, I would love to have some free time reading and blogging while someone can engage my kids for sometime. You know, parenting gets very tiring often.

Buy me a coffee
Buy me a coffee and have a nice conversation with me. I am sure I won't bore you much. The aroma of fresh brewed coffee lifts up my mood anytime.

Watch a horror movie with me
I love horror and thrillers a lot though I don't watch a lot of movies. Because of young kids at home, I had to sacrifice horror movies for sometime :-(

Play AR Rehman's or Ilayaraja's melodies
Who doesn't like the music of Ilayaraja and AR Rehman? I love to listen to their music for hours.

Teach me baking
Though I don't love cooking much, I like baking. I am still at the beginner level and would love to learn baking cookies, cakes and muffins. yummy :-)

Talk to me about places and travel
I would love to hear about different places in the world and watch photos. Any conversation about travel draws my attention.

Until next time,

Image courtesy: www.pixabay.com

Gratitude List for Nov 2016 #NaBloPoMo #day30

Yay! So, this is the last day of daily writing challenge in November. It's great to end with a Gratitude post. 

The above quote  sums up everything. If we feel happy, positive and thankful, we attract more positive vibrations around us leading to more grateful moments.  

Here is my gratitude list for the month of November:

1. Everyday Writing Challenge
I am very grateful that I could complete this challenge. This month is as usual busy with kids, books and home management. Somehow, I could pull through this challenge. Actually, I never wrote on weekends until this month when I took this challenge. I felt lazy on Sundays, but compensated by writing on Mondays :-)

2. Super moon and the first snowfall of the season
Read my post here on the Super moon and the first snowfall of the season. I love nature and I enjoyed watching the super moon and the place covered with a blanket of snow after the first snowfall here in Colorado in this season.

3. Cooking experiments and new Recipes 
I am not very confident about my cooking and so, usually do a lot of experiments and fail most of the times:-) Fortunately, all my experiments were successful this month. Tried a simple Pasta/ Spaghetti recipe, learnt to cook Chipotle Rice bowl recently and learnt a lot of soups and salads. 

4. Local trips
I have visited some fantastic places this month in Colorado Springs. Garden of the Gods is a natural National landmark with interesting stone formations. We also visited the Prospect Lake in Memorial park, which was fantastic. 

5. Flash Fiction and blog hops
Tried my hand on flash fiction and participated in a few blog hops. Though not perfect, this post,which is 100 word post made me happy. I am glad to link up with Menaka and Deepa for #MondayMommyMomments , Amrita and Tina for #ThankfulThursdays and this post for Indispire.

I am very grateful for this month as many unplanned positive things happened. Last, but not the least - I am thankful that I could write everyday in November. What are you thankful for today?

Linking this to Gratitude Circle by Vidya Sury and #ThankfulThursdays by Amrita and Tina.

Until next time,