Spring is in the Air

Spring is in the air...birds are chirping, time has "sprung forward", flowers are blooming, and all 5 of us are taking large doses of allergy medicine...spring is here!  The time since January has flown by as usual.  Both of my older 2 kids have kept busy with swimming, art and math/science club (for my oldest), and gymnastics and sports club (for my middle child).  In addition, we celebrated Valentines Day, my daughter's school flag ceremony, snow days, and more!  My husband and I have been busily planning for the upcoming year and actively tackling usual work challenges in addition to the daily juggle.  We squeezed in family pictures today and had a fabulous spring break full of outings and some rest.

In other exciting news...people told me it would happen...I had my doubts...but it is starting to happen...my kids (although I am reticent to even mention it for fear that I'll jinx it) are becoming less picky eaters.  My husband and I were dismayed when we, who are foodies who love all types of food, produced three picky eaters.  We would sorrowfully shake our heads when they turned up their cute noses at stir fry, fish, vegetables, and all of the foods we used to love to prepare.  Dinner became an exercise in self control as I would hear groans and moans and, "why can't we have pizza every night?" from my sweet little cherubs.  

Suddenly, my older 2 have become more adventurous.  It started one day when my daughter and I were grocery shopping and she was offered a sample of teriyaki grilled salmon.  To my surprise, she gladly accepted the sample and ate the whole thing declaring it was "yummy!".  I wrote that episode off as a fluke.  Yet recently when served talpia, salmon, and even shrimp for dinners, my older 2 have devoured every bite and loved it.  The littlest isn't quite as enthusiastic as the older two, but he has ceased to complain because I suppose it's no fun to complain alone without a backup chorus.  The icing on the cake occurred on Friday night when our family was dining out and my oldest ordered something NEW from the menu...not the usual, not something we coaxed him into trying, but something that he read and thought sounded good...he ate every bite and loved it.  It's a new era folks.  Perhaps there are foodies inside those picky eaters after all.  :)  

In preparation for 2.5 years with a full time working husband who is also getting an MBA, I signed up for a few races to complete before his school starts.  However, I planned poorly because the races are on back-to-back weekends in May!  I run a 10K and then follow it up a week later with a sprint tri.  All during the hustle and bustle of my older two kids' birthday weekends and graduation activities for work.  Silly me!  I suppose my ill planning will help me be bathing suit ready by summer.  Needless to say, I'm following a strict training schedule and loving every minute.  And, of course, like all other university faculty am REALLY looking forward to summer!  Below are some pictures from our winter season!  Hoping you all are well!

 

A New Year and Lots of Changes

Happy 2013 everyone!  Although we are only a few weeks into the new year, it is already shaping up to be a year of changes.

Our family enjoyed a few weeks of down time over the holidays including a trip to Tennessee to visit family.  We had a great time despite my parents and husband contracting the flu and being sidelined by sickness for a couple of weeks.  While I never got the full blown flu, I did get a nasty cough that lingered for a week or so.  Here are a few pictures from our trip.

Our trip was very special although we did not know it at the time because it was the last time any of us would see my grandfather.  My father's parents were a close part of our family when I was growing up because they lived with us for about 3- 6 months out of every year from the time I was in elementary school.  While he had lived a good, long (94 years!) life, his presence will be missed.  I loved him dearly.

My grandfather led a fairly exciting life - one I have a hard time imagining considering the tiny, mild mannered person he was the last decade or so of his life.  His first career was in the Indian media as a radio reporter who was a follower of Gandhi.  He was a young adult during one of the most tumultuous times in Indian history when the people were fighting for their independence from England.  He never talked much about it but I know that he was a passionate freedom fighter who was tortured for his beliefs.  I asked to see the scars on his back more than once but he always politely declined to show them to me stating, "some things are better left alone". 

Post-liberation he was politically active holding several positions in the newly formed government and ending his career in academia as a chancellor (president) of a university.  Studying world politics and history were two of his hobbies.  An avid reader, he could start a thick book in the morning and be mostly done by sunset.  He taught me how to play chess, cards, and watched my swim meets and soccer games with a gentle smile on his face.  If I performed poorly, I could count on him for encouragement and support.  Although the British couldn't tame him, the flu got him in the end.  Thankfully his death was quick and peaceful.   I'll miss him but am so thankful that I was able to hug him and kiss his forehead just a few days before he passed away. 

In other news with our family, my husband heard this week that he was accepted into the executive MBA program and will start classes this summer.  I am so proud of him and admire his love of education.  In addition, I should hopefully know in the next few months whether I will be promoted to Associate professor.  The kids are happily into the swing of the school where learning, friends, and activities bring them home tired but content each day.  My oldest is doing 2 new activities in addition to swimming and karate this semester: art club and math/science club.  Both are right up his alley since he prefers to exercise his brain more than his body.  My girl, who unlike her brother, prefers physical over mental exercise, started swimming this winter and is also continuing her much loved gymnastics class and her not-so-loved-but-parent-mandated karate class. :)  Her new activity this semester is an after school sports club.  Both older kids will play ball this spring.  My baby is holding his own with a few pre-school sports and enrichment activities.  We are blessed.  Hope your 2013 is off to a great start!