The word is Dee!

Day100..#100daysofhappiness #100happydays There is an unseen pressure in putting my words for this day 100. Apart from the fact that it’s a milestone and a conclusion to my 100 happy days journey, it also marks a significant moment in my ‘happily ever after’ story! It’s our 10th wedding anniversary today and I am elated and grateful! Initially I thought it would be lovely to get married once again but then I realized we have exchanged our vows for a lifetime, so do we really need a reminder? Didn’t seem like it after having reflected on the decade gone by. Like every perfect marriage, we are just two imperfect people who refuse to give up on each other. So while most love stories are beautiful, ours is always my favorite! I read this line “Marriage is when a man looses his bachelor’s degree and a woman gets her master’s degree” and though cited in humor, I was forced to introspect if this was our picture too, then realized that ours is a friendship of equals and a partnersh...

The news read... bomblast at Istanbul close to Grand Bazaar. My heart sank knowing that I was there just yesterday soaking in everything that went past the last 10 years and thankful for a journey gone by. They welcomed in excitement and celebrated our happiness. I was smitten by the charm of a city so fascinating that has the strength to see and show beauty in the midst of chaos. We laughed and explored as though we were almost young and carefree yet saw new meaning in every moment we spent there. We discovered vibrancy as a local would. The city did not rush us and that gave us a new lease of life. I am glad our big 10 was at Istanbul with a fabulous celebration to conclude here back home with so much love. Everything that mattered got me smiling. As I thank Istanbul for giving me a memory for a lifetime.. I pray for the spirit of the wonderful people there who make that city as beautiful as it is!  In admiration and gratitude. . With love!

I may not have known a lot of you for the longest time, but you have given me reason enough to say thank you for spreading cheer every now and then. There's nothing like the pain in your stomach with tears rolling down the cheeks when you have laughed with all your heart and most often for not a real reason! With some, its the deepest conversations while with others its infectious laughter or just the cheerful hello everyday! These girls seem to make life happy and crazy every now and then, so here's a thank you for giving me everything that matters - laughter! (Ps: Included the lil kids who teach me pure fun every day and our apartment monkey - my lil Basanti whom I seem to have grown fond of, whenever she is around - even though from a distance!) Thank you once again for celebrating life every now and then even without an occasion! So here's to girls who know that joy has no definition!

Our steps are getting bigger and our height taller. We seem heavier to lift though sharper in mind. We have our tricks and test you often. Every stride you take is sometimes too big for us to pace hand in hand but we look forward to taking many smaller steps just to be by your side. But we love more than you can imagine and that does not change with time. Holding us close.. you smile with pride. We are two sides of the same coin and we are glad that coin is yours. We love how we play, laugh and have fun with you. We know we can fuss and look forward to every meal prepped to be special by you. The news filled baths, mind numbing massages, yoga all seem to be a ritual of our own. We laugh and cry, with you to hold us. We fall and rise with your finger to hold. Our equation has a little bit of everything and thats what makes it perfect! Happy Father's Day Dada... with all our love Tamara and Tanaaya.. Arya Ganapathy

It was Father's Day on June 20, 1999... so looking back I will always smile in sadness as I bid farewell to a man who lived on his terms. He was undeniably a big influence to me in my 18 years after which Nimmi Belliappa mum held the mantle of being my mum, dad and best friend... not an easy task but she did it with perfection and today is my forever idol. A scroll of words drafted and gifted to my dad...there was a strange gleam of recovery he showed that morning.. a hope I wished came true.. but destiny had other plans and it was time to bid adeau to my dad.. not our relationship, not our memories and always have promises made in my heart.. that I had been entrusted with.. ... There was deep sadness in the heart but unwillingness to lose my strength for fear of not being able to support the family I have with me. There will always be a question... have I cried enough but always the comforting thought that I hold him in my heart every day.... Every year Father's day is on th...

It's been 10 years and every summer we have our holidays planned with my in laws.. with each time more to learn, unwind, more memories and days well spent. There is charm and warmth with open conversations .. that are heartfelt and joyous.. often the best. There are definitely the occasional debates which just broaden my thought process every time. With an abundance of lush green, clear air, plenty of walks, lip smacking food, sleep indulgence, soul conversations, entertained  kids with childhood treasures like tree climbing, some rustic kung fu, running games, skating, going wild with massages, ducks, dogs and cats, preview of culture and tradition, visits that keep you real and that carefully planned fun family picnic that adds to my memory book... I think I just described a fabulous vacation which we just came back from.... with perfect weather too! Hope you had as much fun as we did! While I have some weight to shed now.. it seemed a worthy gain! Tip: our picnic to...

Day 99... ‪#‎ 100daysofhappiness‬   ‪#‎ 100happydays‬ Long post alert - do read till the end! A thank you! Oprah Winfrey once said “The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more in life there is to celebrate”. As most of you know the girl’s birthdays were celebrated together with our theme galas in January and in May we do something more meaningful yet memorable, that will always make them understand that celebrations are of many variants. As Tamara turned 8 yesterday, we saw the day unfold in so many ways that we could not help being thrilled and blessed. As a family we did the morning routines of cake, balloons, hand made cards, small gifts, new clothes and more blessings. Thereafter, I was pleasantly surprised seeing the initiative of Tamara’s 5 best buddies in the apartment, who had planned to the last T- a creative and fun surprise party for her by the pool side…In case you are wondering what are the ingredients to a fun surprise birthday party, we can lea...

Everything Mother's Day is about. . With love  Woke up this morning to so much love hugs and uncontrollable kisses by both my munchkins as they jumped and hugged to wish me on this mother's day. As i sat and held them both my mind raced a flashback to the last 8 years and ever since I smiled at what has transpired. The news came positive on my birthday in 2007... we were all ecstatic. A baby was coming.. and a new mom was to be born in May 2008. While I enjoyed my pregnancy I had not attained any level of selflessness, though in time I had to perfect that. It was a scary thought. The day had arrived and the exhausting labor gave us a beautiful baby girl .. who everyone exclaimed didn't look like a monkey baby like most new born. I held that Lil baby thinking the toughest is over with the labour pain now comes the easy part. I looked at her long enough hoping to get an instant connection and tear down in emotion just the way the movies have shown this moment. B...

She is the reason I was privileged with the title of motherhood. Its been 8 years and such a memorable journey.  She is all I hoped for.. though has grown faster than I wanted. Tamara.. our first princess turns 8. In so many ways she teaches me and keeps me real. I tend to be protective with her as her softness can often be misunderstood. A curt remark at her or anyone she cares about and tears are bound to flow...While I worry at times, I am happy she will remain real, true and hearty in every relationship. She is sensitive but life will make this her biggest strength. She knows the meaning of bonds and loves with all her heart. She knows diplomacy. She races with passion in sport and dance. She has her reservations and is conservative in some facets.... an area I am often confused about. She has her own sense of fashion.. probably not everything i agree with but i respect her choice as an individual even if she is young... she is entitled to her views and opinions. She has seen...

Day 98...#100daysofhappiness #100happydays Travel, photographs, writing are my strong de-stress weapons. Sitting on my computer, I travel the world and often find new itineraries that give me wings any time. So vacations means - holiday time! Everyone said, so did Facebook stories - going with kids - Hong Kong is the place! Photographs do tell stories, but is it always the real picture! Quoting an Asian proverb, "Better to see something once than to hear about it a thousand times". So the destination was finalized! Come summer, travel plans had to be etched, and in my mind, I knew that before I embark my kids on an India travel experience for the next 5 years, I wanted them to experience the Disneyland for young ones that we had heard so much about. As much as it meant to be a story for them to explore, I was more keen on visiting a dream that I had grown up with... taking that iconic picture with Mickey Mouse! The ease of access and proximity to a country in Asia i...

My words repeat... so do my sentiments... for a brother I cherish all my life. Celebrating his life on his birthday I speak with joy and sadness but with emotions that teach me everyday... We smile, we celebrate, we relive moments gone by, we cry, we laugh, we miss, we share, we wish for another chance to have him with us again... Apr 15 is a birthday in our family - my brother s birthday.... Deepak, Deepu or Nany as most of you know him but for me .. my anna. Its been 11 years but for us time stands still ... time is not a healer just gives us enough strength to embrace life with grace and dignity... and under the circumstances I think we did fine... Today as I look back, I am happy with the time we shared.. our relationship, our bonding had all the perfect ingredients as siblings... I fought - he made peace, I cried - he held me, we shared and cared, we loved and laughed, we were poles apart in our interests but always had a point of mutual comfort, we respected our boundaries yet...

Day 97… #100daysofhappiness #100happydays Its 0725 am on a weekday and I find myself repeatedly calling out for Big T to make her way with me down to the bus stop. We want to get there in time, as we both have our agendas. She races there to play with her friends at the stop and luck has it, but the child to reach last is often the den. So that’s our time keeper along with that consistent watsapp message that comes from our route admin from stop 1, which reads our action for the day “The bus just left”. My rush is to make it to avoid the school drop and get my dose of laughter that keeps my day upbeat! Monday blues seems like a passé, with the stop chats. It’s the wait for the bus every morning at our bus stop. It’s monotonous but fun, relaxed yet alert and hilarious yet chat worthy. While I love the excitement of landing up ‘dressed up’, the presence of mums in clothes of immense comfort makes the whole ambiance so comfortable. Don...

I was looking forward to another run.. so puma urban stampede it was! The ambience was a lot different than the other runs. More serious.. It was a competition and to be specific the national finale with runners from all across India. It was inspiring and heart gripping at the same time. Time seemed to be the essence. Scores were checked by better timings. The visual of the ticking clock, the struggling participants some of whom were carried out in stretchers, the warning o n a poor terrain and the aspirational timing for a 5k being 18 mins.. awarding the winner with a trip and run at Athens.. All were perfect ingredients to making me an anxious runner. But as it began it was me, my music and the road. I may have been outpaced at few stretches but when you run for yourself nothing bothers you. The terrain did deter my timing unfortunately as the dug up roads with uneven stones scattered made it a dangerous path to tread. It was a learning for better runs ahead. The las...

Happy Women's Day to all women there whose strength never ceases to amaze me, whose heart's always impress and whose intelligence can fascinate. We are not here to be judged, we are here to speak the unspoken. We have the voice and the passion that believes in our philosophies. We can dare to dream and make them lasting memories. We can shadow and lead with grace yet feel on top of the world. We can see perfection in confusion. We can multitask roles in sheer brilliance. We  choose to be part of relationships that complete our heart. We make homes. We set new benchmarks for our peers in careers cause we know the meaning of healthy competition. We can speak endlessly but all in sense. We can shop in calmness and feel rejuvenated. We have tears that keep us real in happy and sad times. We have the wings to circle the world and always have something new to learn at any stage of life. We have fears, phobias but we do our might to face it with confidence. Put your hand up...

Day 96… ‪#‎ 100daysofhappiness‬   ‪#‎ 100happydays‬ “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” - Maya Angelou Such fitting lines to capture the reason I write this post today on your birthday Munni. You gave me reason to smile, when darkness loomed, you gave me my quiet, when everyone believed that sound would be my best companion, you gave me your ears, for the times I chose to speak, you taught me with example, what it means to be believe in ourselves. Thank you and everyone at home in Pune for being my reason to always cherish Pune. Most of you know her, but if you don’t, a snapshot of what I have seen invaluable in her. Her eyes smile and her heart rejoices. There is laughter, tears, anger but there is patience, calm and cheer too. She is a doting mother, loving daughter, adored sister; fun sister in law, dependable friend and somehow perfects all these roles. Not to forget these fol...

Day 95..  ‪#‎ 100daysofhappiness‬   ‪#‎ 100happydays‬ Another day to remember in my 100 days... Perfect Women's Day celebration.. With the woman who truly inspires n encourages me in every way.. my mommy  Nimmi Belliappa ...an early rewarding and thrilling 5k in 38 mins..followed by a hearty my kind of breakfast at Bet You Will Like It. Celebration indeed! Cheers completed with the excited welcome by the very supportive hubby  Arya Ganapathy  and my bundles of rejoice.. The Lil munch kins Tamara and Tanaaya who couldn't stop raving! Timing needs to improve but gradually  smile emoticon Don't let the pose fool you... I did not place no 1.. In the crowd that participated... but in my heart I felt like no 1.. so that counted more! So striking the pose was just a heart's response  smile emoticon This was my 3rd run and the feeling remains unchanged. .. A check on my health and it's progress is always on agenda. There is confidence yet the...

Day 94…#100daysofhappiness #100happydays An ode to ‘Leap Day’ - to live and celebrate! It’s fascinating to be able to cherish a leap day and have your 100 days in this leap year. What I write now, will be revisited 4 years later, so this makes this memory far more exciting. A tradition of the past, one that not many people know about, but a leap day was a day attributed to women once in 4 years (the last day of the shortest month in a leap year), to have the liberty to propose to a man they choose to woo. Marking my 10th anniversary this year, I find this tradition thrilling and hence choose to revive this tradition of proposing to the man who makes my heart dance with every little beat! Fairy tales are unreal and am, glad mine is not one. So on this day, February 29, 2016, cheers to ‘real marriages’ that are far more fun with adventure and learning, surprises that can make you teary eyed, moments that hold you for life, seeming imperfections that become romantic and acceptance...

Day 93.. #100daysofhappiness #100happydays Tears were flowing uncontrollably and I almost thought that I would bawl. People around me were choking on emotion and I was sure that everyone was grateful it was dark and no one was visible. It was not just tears, but smiles too. It was not the filmy bollywood entertainment from any angle, but had a story that had to be told. Thankfully, it was a story that was narrated in perfection, had the impact that it deserved and left the audience, heart broken and motivated all in those couple of hours. While it inspired many even for a couple of seconds, it was a meaningful cinematic experience and a biopic that is lasting. My 100 days has tributes of people or experiences that are meaningful in my lifetime, so this definitely fits the criteria... a true story from my lifetime, when I was 6 years old. So here’s to Neerja – the brave heart who ruled hearts in silence. This true story took place in 1986. At that time, I definitely have...

Day 91…#100daysofhappiness #100happydays The best words I have read have been by her, so starting my Valentines Day post is justified if I quote her. Maya Angelou, the American Author and Poet once said, “If you have only one smile to give, give it to the people you love.”  So on this day, I smile at the ones who love friendship, innocence, care, respect and honesty. I smile at the family I am born to, married to and friends who became family. So here’s to celebrations that matter for hearts that care! With my history of celebration, naturally Valentines Day has always been a high. From the longest time I remember celebrating and wishing mom, because my honest belief is, since it’s the day of love, then wish everyone you love! After meeting Arya, I remember our first Valentines’ was before we got married. He had sensed my ‘paw’fection being so strong that he had gifted me our loving Fawn – a heartwarming basset hound. The concerned mum and in laws smiled, cherished ...