BEST BIRTHDAY EVER

My birthday is on Dec 10th , every year it has been always a special day for me !! This year is the best among all the b'days i have celebrated .. My dh surprised me with his friends by getting me a big chocolate cake mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm yummmmmmmmyyyyyyy !!!!!!!!! after the cake cutting , when it was 12 a.m in India , my dh brought in a Casio keyboard !!!!!! Recently i got an interest in playing the keyboard ,and also learnt to play some rhymes with the guidance of prakash anna . I was asking him to get me a small keyboard just for practising , but when he has bought me this i was really really surprised!! On wednesday ( dec 10th in USA ) after he went to office i searched and learnt to play one of his fav cine song - suttrum vizhi chudarae from Ghajini movie . He was really happy !!! Dec 10th was pradosham so i fasted on that day and we went to temple in the evening and had darshan of Lord shiva , and the whole abhishekam . Touchwood , Lalitha was too a good girl and she allowed us to have a great day !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HRUDHAYA KAMALAM

This one of my favourite kolam , i used to try hard to do this right in my childhood days . But somehow i will miss the perfection . dont know why , but today i felt like practising it again , for my surprise it came out well in the first try itself .Thought of sharing it with you all !!

COFFEE AND ACIDITY !!

I am a coffee lover , ya i used to drink 2 cups of coffee a day compulsorily , even more if i get a chance ! There were days when I used to drink 5-6 cups of coffee a day , My mom makes the best coffees in the world ! As soon as I enter my mom's house from college i used to drink a coffee and then only i used to speak a word to my mom . But after marraige i have changed a lot !! My dh doesn't drink coffee so i too stopped drinking coffee . Again after i got pregnant i avoided coffee as someone said it is not good for the baby . But after her birth , i couldnt control my craving . After her 1st birthday i again avoided coffee , wanted to stop drinking coffee completely . Nowadays i am having coffee very occasionally like once in a week or even once in a month !! Today i came across this mail , which reveals the effects of drinking coffee . Just have a look at it -

I've been questioned about this particular subject overand over so it's time to talk about it.
It's coffee.
Now, I know you coffee drinkers LOVE your coffee. I didtoo--I drank it for about 30 years. As much as 8 cups aday...and I enjoyed every single drop.
Coffee has become BIG business.
You can't walk down a street, in a mall or through anairport without smelling that familiar roasty, toasty smell.
Millions of people can't even fathom being able tofunction without that first-thing-in-the-morning cup ofcoffee.
I know I used to be in a sulky cloud until I took thosefirst few sips. Then the cloud would lift and I would cometo life.
People ask me every day (with their fingers crossed) ifdrinking coffee is OK with their stomach issues.
As much as I'd like to be able to say yes, the answer isno.
Here's why.
============pH of coffee============
Coffee is by far one of THE most unhealthy, acidic liquidsyou can drink. It ranks just below soda in terms ofharmfulness to your body.
Coffee has a pH of 5 -- meaning HIGHLY acidic. (Pure acidis 0, neutral is 7 and pure alkaline is 14.)
Coffee is slightly MORE acidic than acid rain, which has apH of 5.2, to give you some perspective on what you'reputting into your precious vessel.
===================Acidity in the body===================
Our bodies are meant to have a slightly alkaline pH(around 7.365), so you can see what coffee does for youthere.
Being in a state of acidity (called acidosis) causes pain,disease and inflammation throughout your body.
When you're acidic, your body cannot heal properly. Itcan't use vitamins and minerals, no matter how manysupplements you chug, and it ends up expending its ownminerals (including calcium from your bones and teeth) toneutralize the acid in your blood.
That's why the U.S. has one of the highest rates ofosteoporosis. We're not lacking calcium--we're too acidic.And coffee is a big, BIG reason.
And tumors of all kinds (including cancer) thrive in anacid environment...but they cannot survive in an alkalineenvironment. This has been proven time and again in labsaround the world.
====================The caffeine concern====================
Coffee is also loaded with caffeine (I'll address decaf ina minute), which is an addictive drug that leads to bothphysical and psychological dependence.
It stimulates the central nervous system much likesnorting cocaine, and can lead to high blood pressure,birth defects, kidney failure, diabetes, gastric ulcerspancreatic cancer, restlessness and stomach upset.
============================== =====What happens after you drink coffee===================================
It takes one cup of coffee 24 hours to pass through thekidneys and the urinary tract. 24 hours!
Drinking more than one cup in 24 hours stresses yourkidneys like little else in the process of filtering all ofthat acid and dumping it into the urine.
If you're someone who drinks coffee all day long, I hateto say it, but you're setting yourself up to be a dialysiscandidate at some point.
Drinking coffee with a meal, even a correctly combined,highly alkaline meal, makes the meal acidic and causes poordigestion (and LOTS of heartburn).
Plus your poorly digested meal doesn't pass through theintestines very well either.. (Can you say constipation?And maybe diverticulitis down the road as a result?)
================Decaf? So what?================
If you're a decaf drinker, don't be fooled into thinkingyou're safe. Decaffeinated coffee is no better.
You might not have the caffeine concern, but the acidityis still exactly the same.
And highly caustic chemical solvents are often used in thedecaffeinating process. Even though the coffee industryassures people that the chance of remaining solvent in thecoffee is miniscule if any, it's still a processed productand there is still a risk.
==================So what to do now?==================
The ideal way to go would be to swear off coffeealtogether.
I did, and I've never regretted it for a minute.
But I do realize it's difficult, so at least strive to cutdown to one cup a day, then wean yourself off if possible.
Definitely avoid drinking coffee with meals.
And try to not add cream or sugar--they both make thecoffee even more acidic.
Try substituting herbal teas--they come in a wide range offlavors and are delicious. Celestial Seasonings andTraditional Medicinals are both good brands.
Good luck getting over the coffee kick--believe me, thereis life after coffee, and your body says thank you when yougive it up for good.

MEHENDI DESIGN

After my marraige , i didnt put mehendi for a long time , after nearly 2 1/2 years , i got a mehendi cone for this diwali , but due to loads of work i was unable to put it the day b4 diwali . My husband was constantly asking me " When are you going to put mehendi ? " " Arent you going to put this today ? " . So i put on mehendi yesterday night . It took one hour for me to finish it . I was watching the election results and Obama's speech and was applying mehendi . After that for nearly 3 hrs i was constantly applying lemon juice and sugar water to it , and dont know wheni slept ... When i woke up in the morning it was nearly 8 , and i took all the mehendi off . Thank God it had got the red colour I wished !! I was very happy , I showed it to ji with happiness and proud !!!

A Funny incident

Wednesday evening , we went for shopping to kohl's . There ji was holding lalitha in his hands , she asusual picked up his eye-glasses . Just to tell that what she did was wrong ji put her down and tried to warn her . You know what she did - She put her hands on her forehead and said UPSET and went away from us . We couldn't restrain from laughing . Happy that she was not crying and making a scene and she has started to tell us what and how she feels . I am really proud that i am teaching my baby to let out her feelings !!!
Now my baby knew numbers 1-5 , identifies nearly 10-15 animals , fruits , veges , and makes some animal sounds and knows many parts of the body !!! Cheers to motherhood !!

Motivating Girl !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was selected as the most motivating Girl of the month through the Fitness club in IHM community !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

LOST SOME WEIGHT

Hi guys , I was busy with my kid and was unable to write blog as frequently as I used to do b4. Here again , I have lost some 12 pounds by regular exercise and perfect eating . Yeah I came down from 142 to 130 pounds . I have even lost some hip sizes which I thought will never able to reduce . I wish to continue this atleast for a couple of months so that I may reach my ideal weight of 120 pounds . So 10 more pounds to go............. Will wait and see.

GM DIET

Here is my experience when I was on GM diet . I have already done this diet last month and had lost some 8 pounds. I was 150 pounds and after the diet I was 142 pounds . And I did not regain it . This week I started it again in the aim that I shall lose some more extra pounds . I gained 12 pounds during my post delivery period due to the pampering of my Mom and MIL . I wish to come to my original weight ...138 pounds . Last time when I did the diet it was quite easy for me , but this time I faced a very hard time ......Here it goes .

Day 1 : It was a thursday , I had some fruit salad in the morning , afternoon and dinner..Was waiting for the next day when I can have a potato .I tried Aloo palak for my hubby and to my surprise it came out veyr well . My hubby was having the treat just infront of my eyes .

Day 2 : Had half potato in the morning and the remaining potato with some onion and tomato in the afternoon . For dinner had some cooked capsicum . I tried baigan Bartha and it too dame out very well . My hubby said ' you are very unfortunate for not having this side dish ' ...

Day 3 : I had some fruit salad in the morning and had Goib-capsicum for lunch . We went for shopping and there my hubby bought a popcorn packet and had it just infront of me....I was about to lose my control and thinking of having the popcorn . But I controlled myself and promised a popcorn packet when I finish the diet successfully ...

Day 4 :I had 1 banana and 1 cup milk for BF. and 2 bananas for lunch. We again went for shopping , we went to an Indian restuarant and had vada pav and cutlet ...I was very tempted , but again I promised a big treat when we go to India...

Day 5 : I had 2 tomatoes for BF . Had some 1/2 cup rice and 2 tomatoes for lunch and the remaining for dinner .

Day 6 : Today I had vege salad for BF and vegatble rice 1/4 cup for lunch . Yet to plan for dinner. My husband with his friends went to the THAI restaurant and had a feast......Today I made Paal kova , It was too good .It was very tempting and had a spoon of paal-kova in the evening .

THE HECTIC TRIP

Hi Everyone here I am to narrate one of the hectic trip I have ever made . Its our trip to India on Feb 7th , 2008 , for my SIL's baby shower . We faced all the obstacles that one should not face during the journey that too with a 8 month old baby ....Here it goes . * The very first incident is that we saw our itenary and informed our parents that we will be coming to MAA airport by Feb 9th , 5.30 a.m . They too booked car for us and made all the plans. But only on Feb 6th we found that we have informed wrong timings and we are reaching chennai only by 9.00 p.m . Immediately we called them and asked them to change all the arrangements . * Then we started our journey . We went to the ORD Airport and was waiting for our connecting flight to JFK Airport .Unfortunately the flight was delayed by 2 hrs . We are supposed to board the Flight to India via Kuwait at 8.00 p.m and we reached JFK airport at 7.45 p.m. We rushed to the boarding point . * While going to the boarding point , We took the wrong Airtrain and was very much tensed when we knew that. We again took the proper airtrain and reached the point . * When we showed our ticket , the person in the counter said " SORRY YOU CANNOT TRAVEL IN THIS FLIGHT . YOUR VISA HAS EXPIRED AND THE FLIGHT IS GOING THROUGH LONDON ". We broke into pieces . Having a small baby we were very much tensed to hear those words . We have already told the agent all these details and he booked via Kuwait just bcoz our visa has expired . Then we talked to the agent and fortunately agreed to rebook the ticket the next day . * We were waiting in the Airport for nearly 2-3 hrs with lalitha . The agent called and informed us that he had rebooked our tickets . Our schedule is now changed and are reaching India on 10th Feb and our way is " Newyork - Kuwait - Trivandrum " Also the ticket is not confirmed . * We then called our parents and informed them all these thamasha and asked them to send the car to Trivandrum Airport . By God's grace we stayed in a hotel the whole night and we got our tickets confirem and safely reached Trivandrum . My Dad came there to pick us up as he wanted to see lalitha ( He didnt see her until then ) . We drived to Trichy for nearly 10 hrs .We were totally exhausted by this long journey . We reached our house at 5.00 and the function starts at 6.00..huhhhhhhh..... Wait wait this is not yet over... * We attended the visa interview on Feb 14th and we are supposed to get our passports by person atleast with one week i.e by Feb 22nd . We have booked our tickets on feb 24th. Ufortunately we didnt get our passports within 23rd . So we rebooked our tickets and extended our stay by another one week and hubby was working all night . We got our passports on Feb 26th and we started on March 1st. * On March 1st my Mom had arranged for sumangali prarthana and so we packed everything 2 days b4 and I went to my Mom's house . I came to my house just 1 hr b4 starting and was very confident that have taken everything . We started from trichy thinking that all is over................. When we are half way yto Chennai , My SIL called and said that " Inga oru paper vittutael . Adhulla I94 nnu potrukku " Hmmmmm........We have left our I94 paper in our house itself. We waited in that place itself and my FIL took another car and brought that paper . * Finally we reached MAA at 2.00 a.m. Fun is that our passports were in our friend's house and we have planned to take it on the way to airport . As we were too late already Raj anna brought them to the Airport at 2.00 a.m , Hats off to him . Thinking all is over we boarded the flight to Newyork and the journey was peaceful . * When we reached JFK , we realised that the flight had reached Newyork 2 hrs late . And we missed our connecting flight . OMG..........................We again stayed in a hotel for the night and the worse part is I got my periods in the flight . So I was literally crying , thinking about the trip we had . We then boarded the flight on March 2nd early morning and reached Chicago ... When we entered our home we both simply laid down and said " Atlast we reached home " Any comments ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

A MEMORABLE MOMENT

Today Lalitha had pasta for her lunch . She was eating it by herself. I went near her chair and asked her ' Ammakku kudumma ' and opened my mouth . She took a piece with her little fingers , brought her hand slowly near my mouth and gave it to me . WOW what a nice experience . Tears were rolling down my cheeks with love. I felt the feeling of motherhood today when the little one fed me with her little fingers .

April 5

This is a very memorable day in my life . On April 5 , 2007 I had my baby shower . My mom and Dad came all the way from India to do this function . I was very happy to have them here . My Best Friend Mathangi and RK anna came from Boston , to attend this function . I was really very happy that they came here the day before itself . I felt as though I had all my relations here when mathangi and RK came here .
On the day of the function , I woke up early and cooked for the day . I prepared pongal ,chutney , sambar for BF . For lunch - rice, sambar, rasam , cauliflower kootu , potato curry , paayasam and vadai . By the time all others got up and amma & Mathagi came up to kitchen and took charge of cooking . My friend Sujatha and her MIL also came for the function . She is my school mate and I felt very happy when she came here with her MIL . Ramesh Iyer from Aurora temple came to our house to do the function . My daughter was very happy when she heard all the mantras uttered by him , for her .
The function went on very well and Mama came here to bless us . We were very happy when we had His blessings and he gave us Darshan in the form of a light . My brother Kaarthik, In-laws, Bhelpur mami , SIL , Prakash Mama were watching the function through skype and they too showered their blessings for me and my baby .
During lunch : When we were having our lunch , RK anna said - cabbage kootu is very nice. I got very tensed . Without saying a word I asked my hubby - can u tell what kootu is this ? He answered the same , My mom , Sujatha's MIL all said the same . Then I said that it is not cabbage and it is cauliflower. [ From that incident , I would never ask my hubby wat is the vege in kootu ] .
The day ended very happily and I still have these memories so fresh in my heart.

SAMSUNG BLACKJACK

Hurayy!!!! I got the Samsung BlackJack cellphone on March 26 . I love the phone very much .It was one of my dream to have such a cell Phone .My dream came true ...

My First Flight Journey

I was a girl who used to go to school / college ane return back to home and read my lessons, watch tv ,etc . I haven't travelled alone even to the nearest town . But after my marraige , everything changed . I applied for passport In March 2006 . I was supposed to get my passport in April ,Unfortunately It got delayed . My husband returned back to US , in July , right after our marraige . I got my Passport in August . I attended the VISA interview on August 28th. We scheduled my travel to US on September 7th . My parents , My In-Laws , My Uncle came to the MAA ( Chennai) Airport , to give me send-off . They all know that i have not gone anywhere alone or have not done anything without my parents at my side . I entered the Airport bidding Bye to them. My heart was filled with Thrill , Excitement , Fear and Eagerness .
My husband and His Friends have given my ample advices for my travel . But I forgot all of them..(hehehe) and was staring at the Airport , without knowing what to do..Thank God that an Airport trainee helped me until getting my boarding Pass . I said him a 100s of thanks and went to board the flight .
I travelled from Chennai--Mumbai--Delhi--Frankfort--Chicago . Wow!! All throughout the Journey My heart was filled with a kind of fear that I should reach safely . I had a friend who helped me in taking my luggages in Chicago . The humourous part is that i was unable to push the trolley . It took nearly 15 mins for me to take the luggages out of the Airport . Even now I used to remember this when i am using the trolley in the shops and my husband used to make fun of that incident . I saw my husband waiting for me . My eyes were filled with tears of joy . ....................................

About me

Hi , This is Rajarajeswari . I am now 23 years old . I am a M.A graduate in Sanskrit . I was born in Trichy . My parents are Mr.Ganesan and Mrs.ShanthiGanesan . I was born on Dec 10th 1984 . I was living in Kattur , with my grandma Saraswathi ammal , my Grandpa Subramania iyer , My aunt Geetha , Kamakshi , My cousin Kaleeswaran and my uncle Moorthy . We all lived under one roof . I was their princess .
In the year ( 1987 ) we had a new arrival in our house ,,,,, I got a beautiful baby brother . He was born on July 29 1987 . I jumped in joy . Now i became a sister . We named him as Kaarthikeyan . I loved him very much .
We then moved to Kailasapuram , township in the year 1990 . We were living in A2/440 F . We did our house warming ceremony in the year 1990. Our own beautiful house is located in EzhilNagar .
I did the rest of my schooling in BHEL Matriculation Hr.Sec.School . I did my UG in Mathematics in SRC (2001-2004 ) and my PG in Sanskrit in SAASC . ( 2004-2006)
I got married on June 14th 2006 . My husband's name is Madhavan . We now have a beautiful angel , Lalitha , who was born on June 10th 2007 . Our beautiful family is now living in Chicago .