You cannot help being happy here..

Usually the family visits the happiest place on earth aka Disneyland during Thanksgiving and celebrate the parents birthdays. This year, we were not sure what was going to happen during thanksgiving. 

Both the kids were new college bound.. the older one for a masters and the younger one starting undergrad.

At the end of summer we knew they were both going to be in Southern California 2 hours apart in two different UC's. 

So we made a plan on the long weekend to go visit both schools, hunt for housing for the older one, look at the college for the younger one to see how she will fit in and as an added bonus, given we cross Disney, dedicate one day for Disney as well. 

The college visits were not much.. they were empty and deserted as it was a long weekend and in hindsight it was a bad idea to show the kids deserted eerie large open spaces and collosal buildings. Does not help form a good first impression. Still that is where they ended up and have settled in. Both of them got hit with health issues and local hospital and ER visits within a quarter. All that seems to be behind us. This post is about our Disney visit.

Given we have almost been there every alternate year for the last 24 (this blog probably has enough entries to make a parade evolution video), this maybe just "yet another Disney post". 

We did smile all day, have fun, go see the latest Star Wars show. You have to see it. It is just too amazing for words (there are small bits in the video.. but not giving anything away so you go see it for yourself)!

Enjoyed as many rides as possible in one day, but didn't sit in the cold for fireworks. We saw it on the way to the parking lot. We had dinner reservations for a mexican place right outside the gate but within the Disney walkway to the parking lot. So we rushed to have dinner, then watched the fireworks and walked back to the hotel. 

Here are a few memories for later.

The kids wanted to go to Plant power, a burger chain which was apparently the place to be for Veggie burgers! So went with them and ate fries while they enjoyed the burgers as an early evening snack.

We also got to eat at a small Indian restaurant right next this place called Star of India. That place did not disappoint. It was very good snacks and amazing ginger chai!

We did some shopping including my first visit to a thrift store to buy things! The kids had made a reservation at a fancy place, Osteria La Buca (in Melrose) for dinner and we enjoyed that as well. The candle lights were a special touch!

We also got to eat at a place later in Santa Barbara called Masala Spice. That was also good. Finger licking good. 

Have always failed at these pictures that they take.. so we never end up buying one. Someday, I will stare at that camera and smile. The family was mocking me for a good hour after this. "Even Disney is giving us something for free and you mess it up!"

and the parade.. we always love this parade of old and new Disney characters.. they make it so much fun!

Our visit to a sea of storm troopers! We were talking about the possibility of "storm trooping" being a minimum wage job, now that the kids are older and our conversations in Disney seem to be different every now and then.. then the kids hit me with some snarky comment to put me back in my place, so we can all be just kids again and enjoy the rides!

A picture with the main star of the place. We stood in line for more than an hour to get this picture!

and the final fireworks!

and a video as usual!

our smiling faces say it all..

There was a picture of the girls in a tea cup that brough back memories from a different tea cup ride in San Jose downtown.

Kids are all grown up.. but happy to see them still be kids in tea cups!

I am happiest when my girls are all smiles.

This place is priceless!

Given almost every trip has a bittersweet ending for me recently, this one also did. Here is a public service annoucement. Always wear sunglasses when driving back from LA back to the bay area. Yes, the sun is in your face when you drive back and your eyes are wide open after a few hectic days in theme parks or otherwise. The wind is almost always kicking up crap on 101 North when you are near the San Antonio de Padua mission exit. Something went into my eye. It took me a good week to get better after washing and treating it. 

Wear those damn sunglasses..even if you think you don't look good in them. You can thank me later!

May the festivities begin

November is a very special month for our family. This year, thanks to Veterans and the Veteran's day holiday, we made it extra special.

Both the kids flew in for just 2 days so we could celebrate their 18th and 21st birthdays as well as Deepavali. They flew in and out so quickly that it is like a blur. 

My parents also celebrated their 53rd wedding anniversary. In the coming weeks, San and me get to be a year older and wiser. I am just hoping to get some more photos of her smiling face! 

Time has on an average been good to us. We do have our little shocks and suprises, but nothing that we have not been able to handle. The most recent being a catalytic converter being stolen from Jr.'s car. We parked the same car outside our house for 12 years with no impact. She takes it to southern california and within a month this happens. It has been replaced and "wire welded" to the frame now. So hopefully it doesn't get stolen again. Little things like this.. but manageable. I got severe light sensitivity and a series of migraines. Maybe because of too much screen time at work  a few weeks ago. It is behind me now. So again, glad that things are in better shape.

However, this blog usually tells you nice stories. Good stories. Happy memories. So with that in mind... here are some pictures.. This girl is now a confident, assertive woman. All of the women in the house are confident adn assertive around me. Then again, I don't count. It is how they deal with others that counts. 

Just yesterday she looked like this.. or so it seems to me.. 

which brings me to my parents.. they probably feel that just yesterday.. they looked like this.. and before they know it, all their kids are married and settled and now their oldest grandkid is an adult. Who knows, they might be blessed enough to see a great grandkid in this lifetime! Something that not everyone gets to see these days!(note to Jr. : Not saying you need to get married. Just wishing my parents will be around longer. You do you!)

After talking to my parents to wish them, realized that they are happy that all their kids are well settled. They were thankful that their life took them the way it did. What can you give them as a gift? All I could think of was colorize their wedding photo. My mom described the sari color as a "sandalwood color, but not yellowish, with a double tint.. or double color".. she used many more descriptive words to get me to the right hue.

Age catches up with everyone, sooner or later. Given where I see my dad, chances are I will get there sooner. These photos are a reminder to capture good memories and mentally accept changes as they come!

Not to leave out the little lady, who has now turned 18 ! She has always been the most mature person in the house and the only person who can put me in my place in any argument. Both San and Jr. bring her and put her as a shield in front of me when they struggle to use their logic to justify things. This one is smart. As long as she eats her meals on time, I am happy.. for that matter so is she!

We did have a quiet family brunch at Saffron's. Their pick. The food was great! The ambience was also nice! We were the first to start the brunch and had reserved it. Were in an out in an hour. Loved it! Would definitely go there again!

They got to blow candles on what was a Jamun gift from the place. (Should have mentioned my allergy to strawberries.. my bad! Didn't expect to see strawberry sause on Jamun's. Apparently very good combination per rest of family). Got to see my three Jamun's smile a lot and that was good enough!

They probably make better wishes than me!

Last but not least.. a wonderful Deepavali weekend. On Friday I could not even open my eyes to light. By Saturday things got better and we celebrated nicely. There was a total of two sparklers I held in my hand for the photos. That was the sum total of fireworks we held in our hands this year. Two sets of sparklers!! There were some flower pots done by kids at our friends place. It was too cold out. So we just enjoyed talking to friends and drinking tea!

Sadly had to say bye before the weekends parties were over..

already packed and ready to go back to college. Still it was great they came for a weekend! San is teaching me how to keep smiling after saying bye to kids. 

She had this amazing sari with a peacock pattern. One of her best so far! Usually I go out of my way to match her Sari color with my shirt. This one was unmatched. Just admired it. 

The pro photoshopper in me could simply not let it go.. so I had to go do this..

Good memories!

Also wishing my baby sister and FIL wonderful birthday's !!! 

Here is a belated happy Deepavali / Diwali wish to everyone! May there be light in your life!

My three beauties are smiling and that is making my life lit! Cannot ask for more!

The little one is all set to fly out of the nest

It has been some time since I blogged. That is because I spent more than a week recovering from the severe allergies and nose bleeds after that super bloom hike. Was also under a lot of pressure from family to recover before first week of June, to be at the little one's high school graduation!

We came to Cupertino when she was a 6 month old baby, chasing a school district that was "the place to be" in our local circles. Most of our close Desi and Chinese friends were all moving to Cupertino and so did we! It feels like yesterday. 

17 years later, we have graduated out of this school system. It has been an interesting experience as a parent and I am sure both Jr. and the no so little one may have a very different view of things. I for one was happy to have them study here! The elementary, middle and high schools were all within walking distance given our location, they had great friends and we got great friends through them over these years. They also got a decent well rounded learning experience be it academics (thanks to all the "subject aunties" who tutored them where the teachers could not give individual attention), sports or music.... especially music! These schools had amazing music teachers who truly inspired! This place is also beautiful. We don't realize it everyday as we go through the grind, but when sitting in the stands looking at the graduating class, the backdrop was just beautiful!

While Jr. got to go places while still in high school (be it as a exhange student in Taiwan, a trip to rural Indonesia as part of a camp, a training program in Berkeley, etc.) the little one was not so lucky as she was pretty much grounded and at home thanks to COVID. That goes for almost all her classmates who missed out. 

So she was naturally hesitant to go far away. That is always music to my ears as I would like to see the kids every now and then. Not sure if I can handle San's undivided attention. It always reminds me of the ant that gets burnt by the lens. That said, both kids will be going to school in California.  The little one for undergrad and Jr. for a masters. 

While Jr. missed out on prom and a graduation ceremony thanks to COVID, she really enjoyed the grad ceremony and lived it through her sister! She made a secret collage gift and seeing that made my day!

Taking prom and grad pics made me tear up a lot. All these kids we have seen grown up over the years are now going out to the world as adults. Still see them as noisy kids yelling and screaming excitedly in the car as I used to take the group to badminton class every alternate week. 

(that background was modified using Photoshop.. I did have some fun editing grad pics!)

The little one was so happy that grandma made a quick visit for her graduation!

Slowly reconciling myself to the fact that this is going to be a very sad empty nest. Time to play board games till 3AM with a continous flow of chai with our friends I guess. We can do that again now that there are no kids in any of the houses... (in case I lost you there, here is an old old post from this blog!). 

Life does come full circle!

The kids have done us proud so far! Hope they keep succeding at whatever they try!