Party time, taking some things for granted

This is our fourth year at the annual IBM Christmas party for Children. Those of you who have been reading this blog long enough know that each year we put a caricature comparison of the kids done by the same Artist year after year..

This year is no exception!

Big Al actually remembered the kids this year! This year they have finally outgrown those same tee's they wore three years in a row. Both of them have mature faces now!

We also did the usual face painting, cookie decorating, getting balloons etc.

For the first time we attended the magic show and it was a ton of fun. Have never seen the kids this animated or happy in public in a long time. At Disney it was awe and wonder struck faces. Here is was pure glee!

Jr. gave me a nice pose. The little one erased part of her X-mas tree and was refusing to pose.. she is turning into a mini me. Cannot stay still in any place for more than a few seconds... she was just whizzing through the whole thing!

They do a really great job of decorating the place each year with a different type of tree (one year is green, one year is white, etc.) and the whole thing is extremely well organized!

We are all aware of the real Santa. Still the allure of sitting on Grandpa Claus and getting a picture is fun! The kids loved it.

If you do look at the youtube video link in this post, have tried to explain the issue on the video in the Youtube description. If you have any pointers towards the real problem or a fix, please let me know...

Another year has almost rolled by and is coming to a close. It has been a tough year that is coming to a close. Counting days at work, at home, over the phone with relatives..

Hope we count down the remaining days without any major issues!

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Finding Santa in Santa Places

Every year on Christmas day, we seem to hit some place (usually a beach town) which starts with Santa!

Maybe it is our subconsious seeking out the old man with the beard in the white foam on the beaches, we do not know.

This year, it was a trip to Santa Cruz to visit the Natural Bridges and the Monarch Butterfly preserves. We were in two minds, what with the rain pouring down in occasional bursts all through Christmas eve, but we decided to do the drive anyways.

It was with mixed success. The storm had blown out most of the butterflies and the rest of them decided to close their wings and huddle together. When they do that, you cannot really distinguish them from the leaves on the tall eucalyptus trees. Save for the occasional lone butterfly that was fluttering aimlesslly, we did not catch any magnificent site. Well, we at least know where this place is and will make another visit next year.

On our way out, we went down to the beach to see the natural bridges. Oh, what a sight it was! The sun went behind the clouds and made the whole place look something out of this world. It was a photographers dream, for a full four minutes before the rain came down and forced us to run to our vehicles.

No photos of the butterflies, except this pink one!

The magnificence of the Natural bridge! There were two bridges, but one collapsed recently.

Playing with the lone gull that was scouring the foam

Jr.'s first photo using the Digital Rebel. Not bad!

Finally, the stitch shots...

From atop the Butterfly preserve, looking down to the beach..

6 shot stitch

16 shot stitch. If only I could get the sun shining through the hole under the bridge. Now that would be some shot!

Here is to Santa Cruz!

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Santalogics

The study of how Santa will get down through the chimney to deliver gifts to Jr. and the little one.

LO: Is he going to come down from there?
Jr. : Yes!
LO: it is a good thing we dont have a fire. We don't want him to come down into the fire and die!
Jr. :That is why we don't light our fireplace
LO: But how will be come out if we have closed it!
Jr. :Santa can open the door from the inside silly.
LO: But we have a net! He will get caught in the net!
Jr. : He can cut the net you know..

The whole thing was so serious... should have caught it on video.

Jr. knows her mom and dad are the real Santa and they buy the gifts. The little one is so sold on Santa, Rudolph and the whole sleigh thing. She sincerely believes that the true purpose of every chimney is to receive Santa. She might want me to put a balloon and a sign on top of our chimney to say "this way Santa ->"

Jr. and the LO don't necessarily know Christmas with the whole Jesus birth concept. They know it is a time to be jolly, have gifts exchanged, good food, family reunions, etc.

Then again, they don't know Deepavali with the whole Krishna slaying the demon Narakasura concept. They know it is a time for fireworks, sweets, savories, new clothes and family get togethers, etc.

There is something to be said for raising your kids in a multi ethnic, multi religious, multi cultural environment!

This year we will get Santa an opener that can open the fireplace door from the inside and the latest brand wirecutters.. He deserves it!

A merry Christmas to all !!

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When life gives you a rollercoaster, go for a ride!

Probably not the most original or thoughtful title for a post... but hey, it is one of those days!

The morning started off with dropping San's uncle at the airport. From there we went for a Christmas party at IBM. It was a copy of the party we attended last year. We had as much fun as last year if not more!

There were ballons, caricatures, photos with Santa, face painting, cookie decorating, nice music in the background, clown, did I say balloons?

There were many Caricature artists, but we found the same guy who did the drawings for the kids last year and waited for him in line. Now we get to see the kids face change, as seen by the eyes of the caricature dude, aka Big Al.

We came home and found missed calls from my brother and sister and a message to "call India when you get a chance". Today being my birthday based on the Tamizh Calendar, guessed that they had just tried to wish me on my birthday, saw that it was past midnight in India, hit the delete button on the machine and dozed off for a full two hours in the afternoon.

Woke up, worked, and was on the phone with a colleague when an India call announced that my dad had suffered a heart attack and was in ICU. How were we to know the sense of urgency with a "call back when you can?". Apparently things were hectic there and they did not know what to tell me and also did not want me to worry!!

Went through the quick cycle of anger, denial, feeling of general impotentence, guilt, anger ,denial.. etc. etc. The standard feeling which many a son/daughter settled in a different far away land has felt before me, something that many more sons and daughters will feel in the future, where they wish the Star Trek Transporter should be a household appliance.

We had advance booked tickets to go see the latest SRK movie, and after talking to my mom decided to actually go to the movie. In a weird way, the act of going to the movie kind of made me realize the pointlessness of being here and wishing for some magic wand to wave over time and space.

The latest is that my dad is weak after the angiogram and will need an angioplasty in the next few days. The angiogram itself has left him weakened is what we are told and he is now under medication. Funny thing is they did not detect a massive attack for 48 hours. They took X-Rays when he complained of back and knee pain and told him it was the strain of lifting objects! Only after he complains of pain in his chest does he get an ECG.

Jr. and the little one know daddy is worried, but cannot understand why. They are trying to cheer daddy up or worse case provide enough distraction. We are back to our laptops and life goes on.

My mother gave me a profound thought earlier today which was resonated by San's cousin. When my mom wished that I was also there in India and how my brother is going through a very difficult time juggling work, hospital, etc. etc., my immediate thought was "why dont you guys come here? I can take care of you if you come here"

The simple response was "You live abroad for 15 years and have difficulties everytime you come here for 15 days. I have lived here for 65 years!!! Not easy for me to come there and adapt at this age!".

Somthing to think about. Lots of questions, no answers.

At the end of the day, have to thank god for this day where

got to talk to family
got to see the kids smile
got to hear that my dad is getting better

so will leave you all with these pictures :

Clown!

Balloons..

Balloons galore

Posing for caricature with Big Al

Posing with Rosa..

The caricatures (compare them to last year).

The little one all focussed in decorating a cookie!

Finally, the photo op with Santa.

There we have it!

Some day this was...

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Christmas Party for Children

After the "Santa" interest was piqued at the Disney parade, the little one has been waiting for an "up close and personal" with Mr. Claus the last few weeks.

That picture is from the Disney Thanksgiving day parade.

Today, her wish came true, thanks to a Christmas party organized by IBM for the employees Children.. They did a fantastic job, staring with the photo with Santa, followed by Caricatures, face painting, balloons for kids, decorate a cookie and what not, all in the IBM Cafeteria!

Spent a few hours there and the kids had sooo much fun!

Here are the pictures..

This is a picture of a picture. Also, this is a cropped version without the older women..

The Caricature dude (Big Al) was amazing.. the kids posed for him really well.

Overall, a fun filled day!

ps. they called it the "Childrens Christmas party" and I thought it should be called Chistmas party for Children.. Hence the title change and repost..

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