Holiday to do list:

Christmas is *so* sooon! Unfortunately there are a few things that I have to do before I can start to really celebrate (finish 3 term papers, prepare for {and give} 3 final presentations, study for 2 finals, take those 2 finals...). BUT, after all that nonsense is out of the way, I have some serious crafting planned. 

I'm looking forward to making this pretty moss wreath (these projects are also calling to me...):

Attempting to replicate this starry canvas concoction:


Finishing the stockings I started sewing last year....
And Through the Woods

Making a few of these:
 

And baking eating these: 

Even more exciting than the crafts are the people who will be coerced into making them with me! Two, Three, Five and I will be joining Momo, One, and the rest of the brood, in Denver for some serious holiday magic.

I. Cannot. Wait. 

16 days!


On Mothering


On Mothering

Late last night—or perhaps early this morn—I woke up to a whimper coming from the room next door. 
As Disco had just recently gone silent, I took it on me to allay this discontent. 
Into the nursery I peered and found Tiny, looking awfully cute if a teensy bit whiny. 
Though I asked, he gave no cause for his dread. And he was swiftly soothed with a rub of his belly and a kiss on the head. 
As his breath slowed to a steady snore, I victoriously made my way to the door
(Smugly thinking to myself the whole way “I’m gonna kick butt at this mom-stuff someday.”)
But before I was out came another small cry, and I turned to see Tiny again with a tear in his eye. 
So back to bed I went to calm him once more, and when he went silent I ran for the door.  
A third time he called before I escaped, and soon his small body upon me was draped. 
And there he slept the whole night through, not even stirring when joined by a dog or two. 
And when the dawn came I was awfully tired, as under that babe this babe had been mired.
I ran for the train late and untidy, getting a kiss on my way from a sweet bright-eyed Tiny.
"I will be a good mom" I thought on my way, but I'm glad I don't have to fill that role today.


Wonder Around The Corner

My sweet husband and I have been on a little adventure this past month. As with any adventure, there have been unexpected turns and challenges. There have also been moments of transcendence. One of those came when we drove across the border from Colorado to Utah. We took a little detour and visited Arches National Park. We hiked up to a vista where we could see the famed Delicate Arch just in time for sunset. As we stood in awe of the beauty around us, we thought about the last year, our three years together before that and the endless list of things we have to be grateful for. This week, I want to express my gratitude to all of you for your love, your support, your enthusiasm, your prayers and thoughts. I want to thank you for joining me and my sisters on our blogging journey. We love reading what you have to say and sharing with you. I am so grateful to be on this incredible planet because even when things are far from perfect, there is always wonder just around the corner and wonderful people to share it with.

Sometimes, even happy babies get mad.


Every Tuesday morning, Princess H goes to ballet class.


Tiny likes to pass the time by hiding in the lockers. 




He loves his little perch so much, I thought Disco might enjoy hanging out next door.
I was wrong.

Top Five of the Internets

Yes.
5.  Morbid design genius <-- *hint hint* to whomever's in charge of my funeral arrangements.
4. Grumpy Charles Darwin is grumpy (geniuses have terrible-no-good-can't-even-write-a-full-sentence-bad days, too).
3. New DIY fashion goal -- I need fabric markers and a white shirt, STAT.
2. Nietzsche's Family Circus. Yes, yes, and more yes. I could spend hours refreshing this thing.
1. My new favorite awkward .gif icebreaker -- for that special internet someone who you've always wanted to get to know better.


Vintage Five:
Some Christmas cookies to get you in the holiday mood.


Do you have any cyber-space gems from the past week?

X marks the Talk


It's been a month of TEDxing. First, for a big, brilliantly produced conference at Sydney Harmon Hall and just this weekend, as part of TEDxYouthDay in San Diego, California. I was totally stressed out. From my choosing my outfit (which my friends helped me do -- thank you instagramers and tweeple) to what I was going to say, to the sweet makeup artist ironing my shirt with a flat iron, it was all very overwhelming and exciting. But once I got there, it was fantastic. The kids were amazing -- so enthusiastic, kind and helpful. The other speakers touched my heart -- the man who started my session off is the go-to guy on evolution in 3-D printing of organs and another guy who should have been paralyzed from his chest down, walked onto stage, with canes. It was pretty great. When I went out and sang my aria, the crowd went wild. We talked about working together to make our dreams come true and three standing ovations later, I was blushing. It was a wonderful day and I was so happy to be there. Now it's back to work, but I just wanted to say thank you to all of my new friends in The Mid Atlantic, San Deigo and all of the old ones who were there supporting me.


Thankful

up, up, up & away . . .
 We are soooo very excited to be heading back to D.C. this week. Wheee!

The Perfect Hostess Gift


I've always had a soft, squishy place in my heart for Hostess treats. Even though I didn't eat them that often, I knew that I loved them deeply. Today, Hostess died. They will no longer grace supermarket shelves with their neat little cellophane calorie pouches. I stumbled to the supermarket today after a bona-fide all-nighter to get all of the treats before they can't be gotten anymore. I figure that the best gift I could give to Hostess now is to let them give a gift to me. . .you know, the gift of cellulite. 

Now I feel sick. With grief.

Go out and get a Twinkie while you still can.

And get as many as you can, because I hear they last indefinitely. . .

. . . it can be like they never left.

New Traditions or Diwali Cross-Culturized


Today is the second day of Diwali, the Indian festival of light. Depending on what region you're from, and what religion you practice, the specific meaning of the holiday may be different, but the ways it's celebrated are relatively standard. Lights are hung, candles and lamps and fireworks are lit, sweets are shared, and families try to be near one another.

This is my first Diwali as a member of an Indian family, and thus far Dr. P and I have done little by way of celebration. Our little family has inherited a robust collection of cultural identities, from Momo's Jewish ancestry, to Dr. P's Hindu culture, or the traditional Anglo-Christian customs from my Dad's family. Each branch carries a distinct calendar of festivals and holidays, and rites and passages, and while the prospect of paying each their due respect can be a bit daunting I also realize that our observance of any or all of these things will be a choice. So this year, instead of charging forward into the cultural bounty, we're taking things slow and thinking hard about forming an identity as a family unit.

Which brings us to last night. In honor of Diwali, Dr. P and I lit a few candles and discussed what Diwali meant to him as a child, what it means to him now, and what we hope our children will someday cherish about this celebration of light and new beginnings. We came up with a list of traditions, some new and some ancient, that we plan carry on with our family. The plan is to repeat this process with pretty much every holiday this year. Maybe we'll even share a few of our ideas here on the blog.

Cross-cultural marriages are becoming more and more common, and I often wonder how others have chosen to manage merging experiences? We'll be sure to let you know how it goes for us, but any experienced-based wisdom would be much obliged!

Happy Diwali!!

A little thanks for the people who care

I usually perform on big stages or in concert halls but this week I had a very special performance for a little family that reminded me a lot of my own. M. developed Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension as a baby and doctors gave her no chance to live. But it's always fun to show people that miracles are where ever we will look for them and M. is a very clear reminder of that. Her mom, her twin and little sister are as amazing with M. as my mom and sisters are with me. They are total rock stars. So we had a little impromptu performance in their living room to say thank you for being so amazing.



I know in my life, I have lots of people caring for me in little and big ways. Mr. One has helped me (and the entire TD clan) with all of the paperwork I hate for years. Dr. P often serves as my personal medical researcher. My husband is whatever I ask him to be. My siblings at any given time have unofficially served as editors, fashion consultants, drivers, therapists, nurses, maids, cooks, and baby sitters. My mother has made keeping me alive her top and occasionally only priority since that life seemed to be in jeopardy. I know that my experience with illness has changed the dynamic and the cadence of our family life a great deal. There can be guilt and resentment that very naturally flow from these things. But I am so deeply grateful that despite everything my family has not only remained close through these challenges; we've become closer. 

If you've ever been a care taker, had a sibling or a parent or a family member who suffers with physical, mental or emotional challenges or illness, please know we really appreciate you. Your patience, your work, your care and effort. We know we wouldn't be the same (or alive) without you and we know we're not always the best at showing appreciation for all that you do. Sometimes it gets annoying to have to be appreciative for things one would never ask for and never want. But we see what you do for us. We love you. We are sorry you don't always receive the laurels and praise you deserve because you are the super heros. You wear all sorts of masks: from sibling to demanding relative to friend, but you save lives. Your prize is knowing that someone woke up, someone got out of bed and someone lived a better life because of you. But make no mistake of it: in our lives, you are the rescuer. You wear the cape. And for that, you deserve more than a little thanks.

With much love and appreciation,
Two  

Seven Semites Snack on Sprout Slaw near the Sea Shore

My sweet husband and I have been on our own little exodus from the clutches of Hurricane Sandy to sandy beaches of LA (more pictures on that one soon!) for some projects I've been working on. It so happens that a number of my man's best friends from childhood have created their own little Long Island on the west coast. Sunday night, we all got together and had a fantastic dinner. My contribution was a Garlic Brussels sprout slaw, which was good enough that I want to share the recipe with you. So here it is!

15-20 fresh Brussels Sprouts
4 large cloves garlic
1/4 cup Whole gran Mustard
1/4 apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup apple cider or juice
1/4 cup toasted and chopped pecans
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp mustard seeds
Salt and pepper to taste

After cleaning, finely shred raw sprouts and thinly slice garlic. Heat pan and add garlic. When it begins to brown, add shredded sprouts and saute. Add juice and let sit for 2 to 3 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed and remove from heat. Meanwhile, mix mustard, aioli, mustard seeds, honey, oil and vinegar.  Toss with sprout slaw and garnish with roasted pecans.



Gray Hairs


Wow! Look at all of these hip chicks looking super chic with totally gray hair! You see them and it almost makes you think -- "You know, if I were to accidentally dye half of my hair bluish gray, it might not even be the worst thing in the world!"

. . .

. . . right?

(please don't kill me, mom)



Let's do this, America!

I can't wait for this week to be over. Between the rancor of this election and the trauma of Princess H's upcoming birthday, I spent most of the day quivering on the edge of tears. (Here are three things that actually did make me cry within the last 12 hours: watching my kids watch the mermaid show at the aquarium; walking down the aisles of Costco and being totally overwhelmed by abundance; pretty much every story on All Things Considered.)

I'm not pregnant. I just get worked up because I love my kids and my country and I want great things for them.

Obviously, I've already cried enough today. So here is something to lift your spirits. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Tuesday ends on a better note....


Gratitude

Two wrote a really moving piece for cnn.com. You can read it here, and also see a clip from her latest interview with our Second Favorite Medical Doctor of Indian Descent, (a.k.a. Sanjay Gupta).

The Implication of a Mitten


I found some yarn the other day, and I decided I wanted to make something out of it. Soon after picking up the needle and string, I had a little woolen tube which was rapidly increasing in length and needed some excuse for being. The tube slid snugly onto my arm, but I'm not skilled enough to make fingers and not cool enough to pull off a fingerless arm sleeve. It would have to be a mitten.

I have absolutely no idea how to crochet mittens.

For no reason at all, I switched to green yarn. I fashioned a crude mitt and an even cruder thumb. I slid it onto my hand and, after a little adjustment, it almost fit like a glove.

. . .

I have the funniest feeling that this ugly little mitten sums up my entire life perfectly.

Bon week-end!




Don't these look good?! Actually, Honey Cupcake is a pretty good term of endearment, too. Maybe even better than dog or Slovenian or ice sculpture....just something to think about. Aaaanyway, my mind is mush today - here's some stuff it found on the interwebs:

The recipe for these cupcakes - which I'm definitely making over Thanksgiving (it's so early this year!).

A spooky story about the park near my school. Supposedly 5000+ bodies are buried beneath the grass.... The sad thing is, if you've visited, it totally makes sense.

Sometimes this is how I dance -

The other day I wore sparkly tights. It was a very good idea.

Gingerbread pancakes  are maybe the most delicious.

Nerdy Halloween humor a few days late.

A picture of my favorite place in the world, glorious Colorado.

Here's hoping we're all inspired this weekend! And here's hoping *my* inspiration comes in the form of two finished papers... :)