Introducing Your Baby To Indian Food

One thing I've learned about parenting is there are so many ways to do it. While we all think our way is best, it's not always the case. If you were to visit moms from around the world, you would see just how differently they raise their little ones. If you look a little closer to home, you'll still see big differences in parenting styles.What about food?A lot of moms think the only way to feed your kids is to start with the bottle, then rice cereal proceeded by vegetables, and ending up with table food. What if I told you that you could change it up a bit and make it more interesting and healthier for your kids?I introduced my children to Indian spices right away. When they were in the adorable squishy stage (you know the stage I'm talking about), I started them off with rice and butter. I added about 2 extra cups of water to the rice, so it soaked it all in and turned into more of a paste. Adding butter is a great way to sneak in dozens of vitamins and anti-oxidants into your child's diet.As they get a little older, we start adding in steamed vegetables and spices. Getting them used to different spices at a young age helps to get their palate used to it. Not to mention all of the health benefits them.

Turmeric

Turmeric is used in every single Indian dish. It's added to the base to add a rich color and people are becoming obsessed about it. A lot of health gurus are even recommending turmeric pills. Which of course my in-laws always laugh over and say people should all just start eating Indian food!Why is it so good for you? It's full of antioxidants, it's an anti-inflammatory, it helps reduce cholesterol, it's full of vitamin B, and has been said to help prevent cancer cells from growing.

Chili Powder

Before you skip over this section thinking I'm crazy, hear me out. Chili powder is full of antioxidants, vitamin C, vitamin A, helps to detoxify the body, enhances your metabolism, rich in potassium, and adds delicious flavor!We started adding chili powder at a young age. We started extremely small and increased as they got older. Now, they eat dinner with the rest of us. While we may still make our meals a little milder, they love it and have a great pallet for spicy food. You could even add a little yogurt as well and counteract the heat, but keep all of the health benefits.

Yogurt

Yogurt is the number one item I recommend to all parents. Especially homemade yogurt because it's full of healthy bacteria your body needs to build up its defenses against infections. Often times, our kids end up on antibiotics frequently which kills off a lot of good bacteria. This helps them get it all back. It's also full of vitamin D, vitamin B, helps prevent high blood pressure, and helps build strong bones.

Here are a few recipes you can try out and see what your kids think!

Carrot and Pea Curry

1/2 cup of peas1/2 cup of carrots1/4 tsp curry powderpinch of cinnamonCook your peas and carrots in about an inch of water until they are tender. When they are done spoon your vegetables into a blender. Add in your spices and pour a small amount of the water in from the saucepan until it almost covers the vegetables. Blend until everything is well combined and no chunks are remaining. If you would like to to be thinner, add 1/4 cup of water at a time.

Chicken Biryani

Pinch of cinnamonPinch garam masalaPinch of chili powder1/4 cup cooked chicken1/4 cup cooked rice1/2 cup chicken brothAdd the chicken, chicken broth, and spices together in a blender. Blend until the chicken is there are no chunks of chicken left. Add in your rice. Give the blender a few quick pulses, just enough to break the rice down a bit. You still want rice chunks in the baby food.What was the first solid food you gave your kids?

How To Challenge Racism And Prejudice As A Family

Over the last eight years in my interracial marriage, my eyes have been open up to a new world.

I had no idea how sheltered I was in my own little bubble. I grew up in a white community, with a white family, and white friends.I loved everyone I met, so it wasn't an issue of any ill-feelings on my part. I simply didn't know a life outside my own. I never learned about cultures around the world other than the little bit they teach us in history class.It wasn't until I married my wonderful husband that I saw the harsh reality that racism exists. The fact that an entire people group could be stereotyped as one personality or one characteristic of an extremist. It's easier for society to clump people together rather than get to know the actual people involved.Even though you may have the same ethnic background as someone, by no way means your culture was the exact same growing up. Our culture is so much more than just our ethnicity. It's the way you grew up, your beliefs, whether or not you were the oldest in the family, the situations you've experienced, and everything that has shaped you to be the person you are today.

Racism and prejudice aren't hidden from society. It's out in the open every day.

We see it in the news.We see if when we walking in town and someone crosses the street just to avoid walking next to a man of color.We see it when people make a rude, stereotypical joke to a friend.We see it when people spew hateful, toxic things to people they've never even met.It's happening every day, all around you. Here's the problem. People either give excuses to why they did what they did or claim they didn't know any better. We're no longer living in a day and age where those excuses work. We are fighting for a better world for our kids. This fight means we have to stand up and say this is not ok. We have to challenge wrong thinking and start learning about those around us.

Let's start by learning a few definitions.

Racism: prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one's own race is superior.Prejudice: preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or actual experience.Ignorance: lack of knowledge or information.Racism and prejudice are both learned behaviors. Through out our lives people have shaped what we believe. Maybe you grew up in a family that made racist remarks. Or maybe they lived in their bubble like I did growing up and didn't know better.

Either way, ignorance leads to both racism and prejudice.

So how can we stop it? What can we do to make sure our kids don't learn this hate?We can teach our kids. It starts as simple as that. We can help them to have a deep love for cultures around the world. We can remind them to ask questions when they don't know something rather than lay a stereotypical label on it.Remember, kids learn by example. You need to be the right example to them and challenge yourself. If you mess up, admit it to them and have a conversation about it. If you see someone in their life, whether it's a family member or someone in the media, call out bad behavior. Don't ignore it when it happens. If you do, your kids will be left trying to figure it out on their own.

How can you challenge racism, prejudice, and ignorance around you?

Three Reasons You Should Love Your Mother In Law

3 Reasons You Should Love Your Mother In Law

Oh, mother in laws.You know who they are. You fall in love with a man. Realize he’s the one. Then you meet his mother. You’re terrified because you know you have to impress her. You know you'll officially be in each other's lives forever and it needs to go well.Then you enter into a relationship full of ups and downs, bickering, laughter, and love. It’s easy to blame your mother in law for so many things, but that will change one day.I was recently at my friend's wedding and I melted during the mother-son dance. All I could think about was the fact that one day, I will have to give away three of my baby boys. Then we'll be transitioning into a new dynamic. It won’t just be my husband, little boys, and I anymore.

This is the first time I’ve thought about blending families from this perspective.

Now, I’m wondering who has it worse: the mother or daughter in law. The daughter in law is coming into a new family and has to navigate her way through a relationship with her mother in law. The mother in law has to step back and watch a new woman come into her baby boy’s life. Her relationship with her son changes and she has to navigate her way through both relationships.It’s easy to look at this stage in life and blame the mother in law for everything that goes sideways. That all changes the moment you look into your little boy’s eyes and he asks you if you will marry you one day.

Then you realize you will be the mother in law one day.

After my little three year old proposed to me, I had to explain to him he will fall in love with a girl one day and marry her. Do you know what he told me? He said I love you, mama, can I marry you?Yes. Yes, you can.Here are a few reasons you should remember how great your mother in law is...

She raised the man you fell in love with.

This woman raised the man you love. She taught him his first words, how to read, how to boil a pan of water, how to speak to women, and how to be a respectful man.

She handled all of the difficult years so you could reap the benefits.

She dealt with the endless teething nights, temper tantrum toddlerhood, and rebellious teenager years. Her consistency and hard work paved the way so you could have the sweet and gentle man he is today.

She trained him to treat you like a queen.

It’s because of her that he treats you so well. She taught him how to treat women by being a good example. He loved her and she taught him how to show her love by respecting her, loving her, and taking care of her.This woman is the reason you have this man you love. Take a second to realize how blessed you are to have your mother in law. You wouldn’t be where you are without her.

Share one story about you and your mother in law!

Simple Ways To Save Money This Summer

You know it's summer when you can look out your window and see...kids splashing in sprinklers..popsicle stained smiles..and the smell of families grilling all day..It can also mean spendy vacations, multiple trips to pick up fast food while out, and heading to your local kid's store for new summer clothes. Instead of dipping into your savings, let's chat about a few simple things you can do this summer to keep more money in your pockets while having a memorable summer!

Simple Ways You Can Save Money This Summer

Organize Your Kid's Clothes By Season

Take the day to go through your kid's clothes. Then sort them by season and put the clothes you don't need in storage. As a parent, you know how quickly clothes can get lost. By sorting them, you can know exactly what you have available. I can't tell you how many times I end up heading to the store to pick up items, only to find them in my kids closet the next day.Organizing your kid's clothes can also help you get a little extra money by taking clothes that don't fit your kiddos to a local consignment shop.

Buy Snacks In Bulk

The most tempting thing over the summer is to buy snacks in individual wrappers for your kids. It makes it quick and easy to grab while you're out all day, but it's not as nice on your wallet. Instead, head to your local grocery store or a Sam's Club and buy your snacks in bulk.We started using a snack box a few months ago and it's save me a lot of money! My kids know exactly where they can look for snacks and I tell them to put snacks in their back packs before we leave the house. All you need to do is take you snacks and put them in individual and reusable containers. The containers even save you money because you can rinse them out and use them again when you're done.

Label Anything Your Kids Bring Out Of The House

How many times have your brought containers to a friends house or to a local splash pad and mixed them up? I've done it so many times! Then you don't want to be that parent and fight with someone over a container!Well, worry no more! You can start labeling items you bring our of the house! These labels are amazing! Your kids can customize them and you can choose what they say. They don't wash off in the dishwasher and you can choose the size! They have labels for inside your shoes, the tags on your clothes, and items like cups.Labels are a way better idea than using a sharpie because they don't wear off over time.

Pin For Later

How are you saving money this summer?

5 Things Moms Teach Their Kids

5 Things Moms Teach Their Kids

As a mom, you're always on the go.You wake up in the morning thinking about everything that needs to get done all day, what you're going to make for dinner, the tower of laundry that needs to be folded, the doctors appointment that needs to be scheduled, and the list goes on. You have been given one of the most amazing gifts in the world. You're a mother. You've been given a beautiful child or children to raise and help become strong and powerful little people that will maybe change the world one day. 

5 Things You're Teaching Your Child

It's ok to lose your cool sometimes

As much as you'd like to be calm and loving at all times of the day, it's impossible. You will inevitably step on a murderous lego, have a hard day at work, or deal with a self-righteous person. Your child is going to see you lose your cool and it's ok. The most important lesson is what comes afterwards. After you lose your cool, you need to be able to rebound and move on. Kids need to see that their parent isn't perfect so they can accept their own imperfections. 

How to take care of people

Your child sees you take care of them everyday. You make them lunch (even if they don't eat it), you make sure they're safe, you tuck them in to bed at night, you help them deal with disagreements with friends... Even though they don't tell you, they know you're taking care of them. This is why you're the first one they go to when they're in trouble.You're teaching them how to take care of others just like you take care of them. 

What he or she deserves

Your child looks to you as their example for everything. They watch to see how your spouse talks to you, how the impatient driver behind you treats you, how your naive friend jokingly makes racist comments to you, and most importantly they watch to see how you respond. Your response teaches them how you let people treat you. Kids watch how their mom let people treat her to determine how they'll let people treat them. 

How to have hope in an imperfect world

As much as you'd like to prevent them from seeing all of the evil and imperfections of this world, they see it. They see how the justice system doesn't always let good guys win, they see things aren't always fair, and sometimes they see things that could make them lose hope in the world they're growing up in. You teach them to see the hope in it when you don't give up.Your child will fight for change in the world when they grow up seeing their mom making a difference.

How to love themselves

As a mom, you and your body have gone through more changes than you can count. It's easy to focus on the negatives. You look in the mirror and see stretch marks, extra weight, or imperfections you can't see past. Your child watches to see what you say about your changing body. As their body starts to change or they see how different they look in comparison to their friends, they'll look to you to see what they should think. Moms teach their kid to love their bodies, imperfections and all, when they love their own. 

A Promise To You Mom

You may not see everything you're doing for your kids and what it means when you're up to your neck in dirty dishes and laundry, but I promise you're changing their lives. You're teaching them how to be world changers by loving and taking care of yourself. It's easy to feel guilty over putting yourself first sometimes, but your kids learn more from a well taken care of mommy than a burnt out one. 

Save This For Later

Kids Say The Darndest Things

Kids Say The Darndest Things... Every Day Of Their Lives

Living in a house full of little boys is chaotic to say the least. I spend my days sword fighting, wrestling, telling my children to stop picking their noses, fishing toys out of the toilet, catching my three year old peeing in trash cans that are right next to the toilet, being told I'm not very good at video games, and so much more. I love having people over and seeing the look on their faces when they enter into our chaos. It's loud, crazy, full of energy, and I love it. I've grown accustomed to all of it and while I thrive on a few minutes of peace and quiet at the end of the night...I love it. 

Here are some of the things I've heard my kids say this week... 

I was reading my kids one of the new Bharat Babies books and my son saw the momma had on a bindi. "Momma! Was she shot!?""Blah blee do utha ca see do." When I asked my son why he was saying that he told me he was speaking in Spanish like his friends at the gym..."Momma, one day you'll be good at video games, but for now I think you should stop playing and just get me dada.""Momma why do you get to marry dada and not me? It's not fair!""You have poopy eyes like dinosaurs!" "He's peeing in the garbage!!""He's hitting me!" Then I told Levi he was in trouble for hitting his brother. "Mom, it's ok! I liked him hitting me. He's not in trouble now.""How dare you!" My son's response after I told him he was in trouble for coloring on the walls. 

I know I'm not the only with with a crazy life that I completely adore. Comment and share some of the crazy things your kids have said or done this week!

How Can Schools Embrace Diversity

Over the years, my children have learned they're biracial. They realized they were different than their friends and that our family does things differently. We wear Indian clothes for holidays and special events. We eat Indian food with our hands. Daddy speaks two languages. Mommy is white. Daddy is brown. At first, I was worried they would be insecure over feeling different, but their differences are normal to them. They've grown up being biracial, it didn't just happen over night. They grew up blending cultures. Their normal is what they'll compare everything else to.As parents, we need to shape what's normal for our children. This means we show them diversity at home and every where they go.What about when they get old enough for school?It's becoming more common for schools to be made up of a diverse student body. The problem is the school itself isn't teaching diversity as what's normal. They get worried about highlighting a student's differences instead of teaching them to embrace it. If schools were to teach children to embrace what makes them unique, I truly believe bullying would go down. 

How Can Schools Embrace Diversity

Focus On All Major Holidays

During Holi (an holiday celebrated in India), my Facebook feed went crazy! My friends in India and the US were celebrating. Colleges in the US were even celebrating the colorful holiday by taking the colored powder to the lawn and having a great time! However, the one place I didn't see students celebrating or even talking about it was in elementary schools. They missed a huge opportunity to teach kids about India. Schools say they don't celebrate most holidays because of the religious ties to them. Just because you talk to your students about a holiday in India doesn't mean you need to convert them to hinduism while you're at it. By teaching students about major holidays celebrated around the world, you make students from those countries feel accepted and normal. You're also opening up your student and teacher's minds about something different to them. 

Ask Questions Instead Of Avoiding Situations

I recently heard about a school where the principle will avoid saying international student's last names. During an assembly, he will list off first and last names until he gets to them and then he just uses their first name... Do you think that student feels normal or accepted when their own principle is too embarrassed to try and say their last name? No. All he had to do is get to know his students and ask them. By asking how to say their last name correctly, the student can see that the principle cares. Often times, teachers and adults will avoid topics because they're embarrassed. It only leads to students feeling ostracized and abnormal. Instead, they should be facing those situations head on and educate themselves.

Teacher Trainings 

Teachers need to be educated on their students. They need to understand who they are, where they came from, and general religious practices. These trainings are the perfect time for teachers to ask their questions without a fear of saying the wrong thing. As teachers become more comfortable with different cultures, their teaching style will change. You need to know your students to know how you can teach them and how to really speak into their lives. --We need to bridge the cultures gap at home and in our schools. Diversity needs to be what's normal for our children, rather than teaching them to avoid talking about what makes us different. 

What else can schools do to embrace diversity?

Things I Never Thought I Would Say Until I Had Kids...

After a full week of going to the gym every day, my children are finally excited to go. It started off a struggle every morning because none of us wanted to go, but I knew we needed to. After they started to make new friends and realized how much fun they were having, they started to anticipate it every morning.Now, we're all excited to get out the door in the morning to head to the gym. Okay, I still have my days where I have to listen to my trusty Instagram friends and sleep in my gym clothes to motivate me to go, but I'm having less and less of those days. This morning, my kids were racing to the Lifetime Kid's Activity Room (fancy name for gym childcare). Liam beat us to the door and the only logical move that came to Levi was to bite him. "Levi, we don't bite!""Mom, he won and I hate when he wins! So, I bit him.""Well, I don't bite my brothers when they beat me at something."As soon as the words left my mouth, I realized how silly it sounded. Sometimes, the things we have to tell our kids is completely nuts. I never would have expected I would have had to tell my kids half the things I do on a weekly basis. Another mom over heard me and started laughing. She knew it too. We gave each other the look. You know the look I'm talking about. The "I'm right there with you," look. This post is to all of you moms out there. I'm right there with you! Here are just a few of the things I've had to tell my kids....

Never in a million years did I think I would have to say to my kids...

It's not nice to pee on your brother. Why are you licking him!?Stop licking the floor!Don't eat that! It was in the garbage!Stop licking the dog's water!Take the underwear off your head!Stop putting underwear on your baby brother's head!Don't clean the toilet with your tooth brush!You can't put your sandwich on the toilet!Stop trying to fart on your brother's face!No, you cannot put your brother in your toy box.No poop is not a bad word, I just don't want to hear you talk about it. Be a good example and stop eating your boogers!

I definitely didn't expect them to say this...

Mom, I had to pee and I couldn't wait so I peed in the tub.Mom! My brother is outside naked!Do you see that? That man has a towel on his head. I think he was just in the shower. Mom, you're tummy is big again. Is there another baby in there?How did my baby brother come out of your belly button? It's really small...Mommy, if you don't let me stay up I won't give you any money... but I will give you money...Did the dinosaurs eat Jesus?Mommy, when I get big can I marry you?Mom, Levi took my bed skin (bed sheet) off!--Life with kids is one of the craziest things, but it's never dull.

What is the craziest thing you've found yourself saying to your kids?

Teaching Children About India With A FREE WORKBOOK

Recently, I was able to talk to the readers over at 5 Minutes For Mom and address a question a lot of you have asked me. Many of you want to share the world with your children, but the big question is how do I teach my children about different cultures. I shared 5 ways you can teach them. 

1. Try different dishes from around the world. 
2. Make sure their books show diversity. 
3. Listen to new music.
4. Make a craft with your kids.
5. Attend local events as a family. 

What Resources Can We Use To Teach Our Kids About Different Cultures?

Now, there are countless other ways you can do this as well. The biggest thing is that we need to be thinking about how we can do this. Teaching kids about different cultures is extremely important for kids to understand their own culture and identity. [tweetthis twitter_handles="@almstindianwife" display_mode="box"]The more kids learn about the world, the more comfortable they will be with who they are. [/tweetthis]My husband and I are constantly trying to find new ways to teach our children about Indian culture. They are blessed with two cultures in their lives and we want to make sure they are immersed in both. We teach our children through their stomachs and showing them different Indian customs.It doesn't matter if your children have multiple cultures in their lives or not, they all need to learn about the world. There are so many ways you can do it! The hard part is finding the resources to make it possible. Well, I've made it a little easier for you!

 

I've Made All Of You A FREE WORKBOOK To Teach Your Kids About India!

This free workbook is great for kids around 3-6 years old. It's full of hands on way to teach your children about India and I threw in some Telugu words too! All you have to do is print it out today!Find your free workbook by clicking here or on a picture above. 

How Can You Use Education And Laughter Against Ignorance?

There was an article that made it's way around Facebook a few months ago. A friend of ours had shared it with my husband, Joel and it went viral! So many people could relate to the hilarious questions people ask. When people find out my husband is East Indian, they tend to ask him a lot of questions. Most of the time, the questions are simply... ridiculous. My favorite question people have asked me about my husband is, "Does he speak Indian?"I truly hope I have at least taught most of you at least a few things about Indian culture. At least enough to know that no one speaks Indian, rather one of the hundreds of dialects found in India. Joel speaks Telugu.  I used to ignore people's mistake and answer their question, pretending they said the right thing. Now, I just laugh. It would be like me walking into a room of people and asking someone if they spoke American. We've seen the same things with our kids. People are already asking us hilarious questions about our mixed kids. It's funny to think about the questions our boys will have to answer through out their lives. Some of them will be funny like this and others will be insulting. I want my husband and I to raise our kids to respond well, regardless of what people do or say. We can't control what people do, but we can control our response. 

[tweetthis twitter_handles="@almstindianwife" display_mode="box"]"Two things reduce prejudice: education and laughter." -Laurence J. Peter[/tweetthis]

I love this quote because it really hits the point head on. It's easy for people to let anger take over when faced with prejudice or ignorance, but it won't change anything. Anger only fuels more anger. Instead, we need to teach our children how to respond. They can either teach people or laugh. 

 

If someone ignorantly says something that offends you, take a minute and teach them something. They probably didn't realize that they said was offensive. Bring laughter to the situation and make a joke!

 

[tweetthis twitter_handles="@almstindianwife" display_mode="box"]Keeping your calm in the face of ignorance creates an opportunity for change.[/tweetthis]

 

How Can You Teach Your Children About Diwali

Lately, most of our mornings have started extremely slowly. We wake up, I make my iced coffee, the kids eat oatmeal, and we drudge over to the school table and get started. I'm blaming this on the the blustery grey weather we've been having. It just makes you want to curl up in bed with Netflix or a good book. Today, started much differently. Yesterday, I gave my kids a sneak peak of our new Festive Roots box. They couldn't wait to open it and explore this morning! They woke up and ran straight to the school table, begging to begin for the day.Festive Roots is a fantastic company with the goal to teach kids about different cultures!!  They sent us their Diwali Trunk and we couldn't wait to check it out! If it can get my kids to beg me to start school so they can dig in, I'd say this product is perfect for all of you! As soon as we opened the box, bright orange confetti spilled out. My kids thought it was Christmas! The Diwali Trunk is filled with three separate crafts to teach your children all about this special holiday! Diwali is also known as The Festival of Lights. These trunks are a brilliant way to show your children the different festivals that occur in India. Each craft comes with all of the supplies needed and super easy to follow instructions. My kids loved getting their hands dirty and creating these beautiful crafts. Teaching your children about different cultures and holidays through hands on experiences is a guaranteed way for them to learn! My boys were on the edge of the seat the whole time. They couldn't wait to start each craft and for me to explain what Diwali is all about.  If you're looking for a simple way to teach your children about the world, this is it! Festive Roots offers a one time purchase or a subscription. We are definitely going to sign up for the yearly subscription. It will teach my boys about four different festivals and I won't have to come up with the crafts on my own! I'm definitely not a crafty person and I love how beautiful and easy these are!Be sure to check them out today! Diwali is right around the corner and this is the way to teach your family about The Festival of Lights!Use the coupon code AIFDiwali and get $5 off your order!Make sure you LIKE their Facebook page so you can stay updated on new promotions! 

*This post has been sponsored by Festive Roots. All opinions are my own.*

11 Tips For A Spooktacular Halloween!

(Halloween last year with my little ones!) 

Halloween is right around the corner! Kids can’t wait for a night full of costumes and candy.  

This will be our third Halloween with our kids. We have one failure and one success under our belts. We’ve made the simple mistakes of taking our toddler out too late in the midst of scary costumes. Our oldest still talks about the scary guy he saw! We also have a kiddo allergic to chocolate and we ended up having to take away most of his candy he got from trick or treating. 

 

This year my husband and I are going to make sure it's great by implementing all of the advice we've gotten over the last few years. 

 

Here is a list of tips to make sure your Halloween is spooktacular in all the right ways. 

 

1. Make sure your kids can be seen by putting reflective tape on their candy bag or let them wear glow stick bracelets/necklaces. 

2. Don’t let your kids go off alone, while out as a family. Be sure to stick together.

3. If you’re in a group, make sure each child is assigned to an adult. It’s easy to think your child is taken care of in a group. Make sure by knowing which child each adult is responsible for. 

4. Go trick or treating on well lit streets. 

5. If it’s cold out be sure to layer up your kids under their costumes. 

6. Feed your kids an early dinner before they go out so they don’t snack on candy all night. 

7. Check all of your child’s candy before they eat it.  

8. If your kids have allergies, pick up a bag of candy they can have, so you can swap them out at the end of the night. 

9. If your child goes out alone, know where they are at all times. Decide on the routes your children will take.

10. Make sure your child’s costume fits properly so they don’t get hurt or their vision is obstructed. 

11. Bring a few healthy snacks to let your kiddos eat if they get hungry while you're out. 

 

Here are some amazing tips for taking pictures of your kids on Halloween too!

 

Do you have any tips for families on Halloween?

Our Week In Pictures #3

If you follow me on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook you already knew my family and I recently took a road trip to California. We used to live there and have friends and family in the area. Joel had to go for work and the boys and I decided to tag along. We decided to drive there, thinking a road trip could be fun….

 

At one point, I sat there listening to the symphony of screaming children in the backseat, contemplating why in the world I thought a road trip with three kids under four was a good idea. 

 

Then it finally got quiet. Joel and I were scared to move, just in case it broke the trance our kids were in. They were glued to the movie that was playing, while strapped into their carseats, unable to reach each other to fight. I quickly started to see the benefits of a family road trip. The strapped in, buckled up, nowhere to go, can’t get into anything part of it, of course. 

 

When we finally got there, thirteen hours later… we had a great time! We were able to spend time with my family and see some of our friends. 

 

Our "Pet" Filled Adventures

Over the last few weeks, Liam has decided he wants a new pet. Usually, this means he goes outside and sees what he finds first. Last week he gathered a bucket of bugs. He went into daddy's office and dropped them. It took us forever to find them. This week's pet wasn't so bad. He named him "Frog Name." His creativity is astounding. He had him in a little bucket with grass all morning. I finally had to convince him to let his little pet go. He tried to convince me that Frog Name was his forever pet, but after about an hour of pleading, he let him go. Now, he's asking me if we will get him a new pet... We have a dog.. Can't that be enough? I guess this is my life with three boys. Dear God, please don't ever let them catch a spider for a pet!Our week wasn't all pet fiascos. We also had a great Easter! Liam ran around the yard trying to collect more eggs than his cousin, reminding him with every new egg discovery.Levi slept through most of it with a fever, but work up in time to drive their toy car around with all the cousins.  I love our little adventures with our boys. They all have such strong little personalities and they're just so much fun. Our days are never boring, that's for sure!

How was your Easter?

How To Survive A Traveling Husband Or Busy Week

When I tell people what my husband does for a living, they look at me and my kids and give me a big hug! They’re always asking how I manage.They wonder how I’m still alive with three kids under four and a traveling husband. Well, it’s a little crazy around our house while he’s away. 

 

If we were a traditional Indian family, one of Joel’s relatives would have moved in with us to help. Indian families are extremely close and they always step in when they see a need. I’ve been very blessed to have a great family as well. Every time I’ve had a baby, our family members fly or drive to see us and help. I don’t think I could have made it past the first few days without them. 

 

The first few days of a new baby are full of sleep depravation, spit up, dirty diapers, crying, and the zombie walk. You know what I mean by the zombie walk. You can hardly function because you've only had a few hours of sleep, but you have to get up and take care of the baby so you walk around in a daze all day. My husband has always been a HUGE help at night. He pretty much does everything at night so all I have to do is nurse the first few months. 

 

Now that Lucas is a few months old, I’m getting more sleep and we’ve fallen into a routine while he’s away. If your husband travels or has busy work weeks, these are a few things that can help you and your family. 

 

Freezer Meals.

 

I spend a few days, before my husband leaves, making a handful of freezer meals. I usually make breakfast burritos, chicken or veggie burritos, pasta sauce with meat, naan, keema, and muffins. You can spend a day making everything and freezing it or you can make extra throughout the week and freeze your left overs.

 

Schedule.

 

This has been a new development. I’ve never liked schedules, but I’ve started to use them more and more with my kids. I have a family schedule we loosely stick to during the day. It helps the kids and I to know what to expect and also helps us be productive. Even if “productive” means we merely get dressed that day. It also helps me to have a purpose each day so we don’t fall into the daze while my husband is away. I also make sure to schedule in quiet time every day. My youngest two nap and my oldest will either nap or read books. Either way, I get time to myself each day.

 

Alone Time.

 

This is one I’m working on. I always get alone time while my kids nap, but I often find myself napping as well! A friend of mine gets a babysitter the same day each week. If her husband is home, they go on a date. If he’s gone, she goes out with friends or alone. It’s well worth the cost of a babysitter. We love our kids, but we also need time for ourselves. It helps us to stay sane and love them a little more.

 

What do you do to help your family or yourself on those crazy weeks? 

Kids Say The Darndest Things

If you've heard me ramble on about my kids or have met them, you know they have very unique personalities. Well, the first two do. My little itsy, bitsy Lucas is too little to know his personality well yet. Liam and Levi on the other hand are always keeping me busy. Liam is my sensitive little social bug. He loves talking to people and being in big groups of people all the time. He's also the most sensitive little guy. My husband and I aren't so we've had to pray for understanding. Especially, when were faced with water works because Levi looked at him wrong. All we want to say is suck it up, but instead we ask why it hurt his feelings. Other times, his sensitive little heart overwhelms us. He is always the first one to take care of one of us if sick, rub our backs if he thinks we're sad, or tell us how beautiful or handsome we are. Levi is our crazy, rebellious child. It's always interesting to hear what the teacher says on Sunday mornings because we always faced with a new story. It's typically Levi hit someone so I put him in time out and he smiled the entire time. This kid LOVES time out. He loves it because he sees his older brother go in it and feels incredible pride when he gets to. He's always looking for something to get into or destroy, but then he will greet you with cuddles and an arm around your shoulder afterwards. He melts my heart and drives me nuts at the same time. Put them together and you get something pretty amazing. Here are a few of their conversations from the week. 

“Mama is that your soppy (coffee)?” -Levi

“Yes.”-Me

“No it’s my soppy. My friend said yes.”-Levi

 

Levi starts crying in the living room. 

“Levi, wait! Stay here. What happened?”-Liam

“You boom boom me!”-Levi

“Oh, I’m sorry. Levi if you sit here and tell me what happened you won’t be in trouble. I won’t tell mom.”-Liam

“Ok."- Levi

 

"Mom, I need candy cereal for dinner. If I don't my tummy will hurt."- Liam

 

"Mama, I sit with you. Liam needs pankin because he boom boom me." -Levi

"NO, I DIDN'T! HE PINCHED ME!" -Liam

"Levi, did you pinch your brother?" -Me

"Umm. Probably, no." -Levi

 

I love that my kids are getting old enough to talk with each other. Sometimes, it's not very nice and its Liam manipulating Levi or Levi lying to Liam. That's ok. They're learning. This is my favorite little conversation from this week. 

 

"Levi, I love you." -Liam

"I ya you most." -Levi

 

What's your favorite conversation from your kids or kids you've been around this week?

 

St. Patrick's Day

Happy St Patrick's Day everyone!! 

What are our plans today you ask? What grand Pinterest projects have inspired us today on this special holiday? 

 

Nada. 

 

Nothing. 

 

My children are too young to know much about St Patrick's Day other than the fact their classroom is green. I could have been a great mom and made green treats, played fun games, pretended a leprechaun came into our house, but no. Instead our day is just like any other day: wrestling boys, messes, sword fighting, dirty diapers, and mischievous children. 

 

Will I make a big deal of this holiday in the future? I don't know. I have nothing against it and it could be a lot of fun. However, I've got to keep my children's expectations low. If I started to do extravagant leprechaun traps now at 3 months, 2 years, and 4 years old... what in the world would be expected in five years! They'd probably expect a real leprechaun! 

 

Or maybe I know my trap would look like a mangled mess and my kids would stare at me in disappointment. My Pinterest projects have definitely failed.. a few times. For instance, on Liam's second birthday I made a jello aquarium. It was going to look beautiful. It was going to be a fish bowl filled with light blue jello and have Swedish fish floating around. Instead it was dark blue jello with dead looking, sweedish fish floating on top. Oops. Luckily, Liam only noticed that their was candy in it and didn't mind that it looked terrifying. 

 

For now, I'm going to keep these little holidays simple. I figure I have another year maybe two, and then my kids will be demanding all sorts of extravagent holiday projects and activities. Who knows, maybe by then I will become a little more crafty and be able to do fun things for them!

 

What about you. Do you go all out on St. Patrick's day? If so what do you do? 

Family Essentials: 6 Things We Can't Live Without

Every single night, we go through the same dilemma. We get our kids ready for bed. Which is pretty much an hour of chasing the boys, getting their pajamas on them, Levi stripping naked, getting his pajamas back on him, convincing Levi to let me brush his teeth, keeping Liam away from water so he doesn’t wet the bed, finding Levi has made a disaster in the kitchen, and finding the elusive puggy (paci, binky, or whatever you call it).

 

When we move, we’re going to find dozens of them around the house. We have purchased COUNTLESS puggies, but it doesn’t matter. They always go missing. The funny thing is that Levi always finds them when we take one away from him. I swear he stashes them around the house. However, when we need one at night, none of us can find one.

 

I was thinking about it today and realized there are a few things our family can’t go without. They all make our life a little better.  

 

1. The ergo.

 

This thing has saved us so many times. We have tried a handful of carriers over the years, but this is my favorite. All of your child’s weight is in your hips, not your shoulders. You can wear it for hours and it’s comfortable. The best part is that it’s good for children from birth until three years old; although, I think it's best from about 3 months on. It's a little too loose when they're itsy-bitsys. 

 

2. The baby.

 

This is Toothless and he is Liam’s favorite toy in the world. We can’t go anywhere without him. He’s also our third Toothless, not that Liam knows of course. We have lost him time and time again. This little guy is ten dollars at Target. They have the characters to different kid’s movies and our kids love them. I love the price too because you know we will end up needing a fourth Toothless. 

 

3. The boots.

 

Independence is vital in a house with three kids under four. I love it when my kids can do little tasks on their own. I’m still waiting on the independent seat belt buckling. That day will be glorious! For now, my favorite is the fact my older two kids can put their own shoes on. We have about six pairs of rubber boots. I don’t care what the weather is like. The answer is always easy to slip on rain boots. 

 

4. The coffee.

 

This is an obvious choice. Coffee consumption is the only way to stay sane with three boys. 

 

5. The books.

 

Our house is full books. We’re all readers. I love that this has been passed on to our children. They could sit in our living room with their piles of books for hours. It’s so great for their imagination! My youngest Liam has even started to learn how to read!! It's so much fun!

 

6. The puggy.

 

We have probably spent a few hundred dollars on these bad boys. Our first child hated them. I think he associated them with bed time and refused. However, our second kiddo is OBSESSED. In fact, I constantly find him with two in his mouth at a time. We had our third kiddo and Levi, our second, forced one on him. Now, he’s obsessed. 

 

What are the essentials in your house?? Post a picture and tag me and use the #almostindianwife. 

How To Respond To Racism

I recently watched a video floating around the internet. The video shows a Sikh boy being called a terrorist, while riding home on his school bus. He responds by recording the event. A little warning, he decides to call them a mother f$&@ker. I'm sorry, but I can't say I'd stay calm in a situation like that either! This brings light to a bigger issue. Why was the girl in the video using a word as colorful as terrorist? She must have heard this before from someone in her life. Children imitate behavior they have seen. Racism is all around us. It may not be as prevalent where you live, but it happens every day. It's happening in grocery stores, at work, and on school buses full of children. 

 

Stories like this infuriate me and my anger stares the ignorant person right in the face. If I were in this situation, I would be yelling and showing another "great" example. So, what should we do in response to racism?

 

Stay calm

 

Don't respond in your anger. As hard as it is to not let your anger fuel your words, you need to take a deep breath. Separate your emotions from the situation as much as you possibly can and remember this is an opportunity to fight racism. 

 

Don't laugh

 

I've heard advice from people, saying you should laugh it off. Don't worry about it and just laugh so they stop talking about it. No. Laughter at racism only reinforces racist behavior. Whether it's a joke or a derogative comment, don't laugh. Racism is not funny. 

 

Ignore it or confront the issue. 

 

This is a tricky decision. You can either ignore it and walk away or confront the situation. Think about the situation. Are you in a state where you can respond in a constructive manner? If not, walk away from the situation. You can confront it later when you've calmed down. There's no need to get into a screaming match. Chances are the person won't hear a word you're saying anyways. When you are calm or if you are ready to confront the situation in the moment, take a deep breath and respond. 

 

Confront the issue, not the person

 

Confront the issue at hand, racism. It goes beyond one ignorant person and brings us to the culprit. Racism is fueled by ignorance. If the racism is in the form of a joke, ask them why they think that's funny. Or simple say, you don't think comments like that are appropriate. 

 

It's easy for us to ignore a situation so we don't stand out. Maybe, we want to fade into the background.. Maybe, we don't want the drama.. Regardless, racism is a global issue. Its victims are adults and children, children trying to ride home on a school bus. Stand up against racism. 

Enjoy Every Season Of Parenting

People are constantly asking us if we were crazy, deciding to have three boys so close together. Maybe a little, but I’m loving this decision more and more everyday.

 

Everyday I look around at a messy house, knowing it was caused by creative little minds at work.

 

Everyday I look next to me to see all three boys within arms reach, fighting over who gets to cuddle mommy more.

 

Everyday I hear them in their rooms playing, while Liam teaches his younger brothers valuable lessons.

 

Everyday they try to convince to me to extend their bedtime for a few more weeks.

 

Life with my three little boys is truly a blessing. Yet, there is a constant fear in the back of my head. Time. As much as I try to hold time still, I feel it falling through my fingers. My babies are growing so quickly. My little Lucas Love is now in three-six month clothes. I’m not a sentimental person, but I couldn’t help getting emotional. My boys will never be in newborn clothes again. They won’t ever fit in the itty bitty clothes, filled with memories.

 

I know what you’re all thinking. They will just have another one. I can’t even begin to think about having another little one right now. I was eager after the first too, knowing I wanted a big family. This time, I find myself trying to make time stand still. I can’t think of the next baby because all I can think about is keeping my three boys small forever.

 

Parents are always staring at my boys, reminiscing over their little baby days. It’s been so long for them, they find themselves begging to hold Lucas. In the back of my mind I’m thinking your children are independent! I long for the days of independence.

 

This week it hit me. Independence means my little baby boys won’t be little baby boys forever. Maybe I’m ok with my dependent little babies. Maybe I don’t want them growing as fast as I thought.

 

Every stage has been so fun so far. My husband says Levi’s age is his favorite. He’s mischievous and full of such innocence. 

 

You’ve probably heard this before, but take time to realize what a blessing this season is. This season right now. Your children are growing up before your very eyes. Instead of wishing they were just a little bigger to make things just a little easier, soak it all in. 

 

Soak in the cuddles, the kisses, the chaos, the imaginations, and all the little baby coos. Remember it doesn't last forever, but hold on tight while you're in it. 

 

What's your favorite stage of parenting so far?