Here Comes the Sun

There are those of us that like to "sleep in" and those of us that "don't"!  Whether I get 2 hours of sleep or 12 hours of sleep - I always wake up thinking, "Just 5 more minutes?!  Fortunately, I managed to get out of bed without a second to spare to snap a couple of pictures of Erica & Daddy sharing a special moment together on the balcony outside our bedroom.

Here Comes the Sun...



One second she was just creeping on the horizon and in the next moment.....





Sun, Sun, Sun, Here she Comes!

Have a great day everybody!

Walkin' On Sunshine!

Man!  The weather here is simply unbelievable!!  The last few days after I put all the kids on the school bus I have been enjoying the morning sunshine and cooler temperatures and taking a walk/run.  I'm sooo not a runner so if you are envisioning me looking like one of the "cool people" with their ear phones plugged in, the form fitting tank top & the coordinating shorts - You've got it all wrong. 

In my MIND I am THIS girl!

Unfortunately, the reality of it all is that.....

 I am more a sad combination of a crazy Kramer-haired Momma who is donning her "Black Mamba" eye glasses (that's what Matt so sweetly has nicknamed my eye wear!  They are not THAT bad, I swear!  But he
HATES them!!  Hahaha!)

Buddy Holly rockin' the Black Mambas!!!

And well, let's face it, the attire is also severely lacking.  I mean, who am I kidding?!  I am no longer the bean pole of my youth - Four babies later -  We're not talking tighty tank tops - Too many rolls!  It's more about finding a nice hip-hop length baggin' saggin' t-shirt & some nice shin length FUBU basketball shorts!

Yay!  That's right.  I'm going gangsta all up in here!  In fact, I'm not sure it was completely coincidental that when I was about to cross the path of two oncoming "real runners" today that they politely crossed the road JUST before they got close enough to have to exchange morning pleasantries with me.  That didn't stop me!  I yelled out to them as they went whooshing by "YO!  Waz Up Bangalore Beauties!?" 

I can tell ya one thing!!!

These two would be diggin' my running street fashion & I think they'd be happy

 to join me on a morning stroll any 'ole time.  (I think it's the whole "Birds Of A Feather" thing.  They're feelin' me, yo!")

The point here being - CLEARLY, I am NOT worrying about what I look like on my morning jaunt - I'm just happy I'm out of bed movin' my butt along.  I am enjoying the morning air & the various types of "foreign" plants that I'm not used to seeing on a daily basis.  I give passers by the friendly, Tim the Toolman Taylor,  "Howdy Neighbor" wave and life is good.

So here's some real life footage from my walk this morning!  Enjoy and Word to yo Motha! ;0)

How cool is this?!  Looks like little red birds, right?!

Also love this purple and green Guy.  He's so fashion-forward! :)

I love these Girls too.  I think they have a Irishy-Good Luck feel to them!?

Gary!!  Get Out Da Way!! 

 (Spongebob reference for those of you that may be non-watchers)

This poor guy almost met his demise below my shoe sole!  Luckily, I spotted him in time & looped back to take a picture of him.  Check out the Snail Trail of SLIME he's leaving behind.  EWWWWWWW!!!
Can you imagine the CRUNCH he would have made!?!?!?  Again, EWWWWWW!!!  So glad he and my shoe didn't have a deadly meet 'n greet and he's alive to slime another day.

Lastly, my favorite plant has just started to bloom in my backyard & I snapped a picture of him before going back into the house.  (Yes, I'm sure this one is a "Him!" )  Some facebook friends have been telling me it's called anthurium?!   Regardless, he's a beauty & I simply call him the "I love India" plant! :)

Name that Sound!?

I literally was losing my mind one morning walking around the house trying to figure out what was making this sound?!?  Ceiling fan?  Nope.  Neighbors bed?  Nope.  I then realized it was a birdie outside my kitchen window!  WOW!  Is he annoying or what?!  Maybe I need to put out a dish of WD40 and see if that fixes the squeak?  Hahaha!

Navratri Festival

The kids had two days off of school this week because of the Navratri festival.  I also had David home one day from school and then the next day I had three of them staying home because they are fighting miserable colds.  Obviously, blogging is a little bit trickier when the Fab Four are home all day! :)  Thanks for sticking with me!

I did a little on-line research about Navratri and found out that 'Nav' means 'nine' and 'ratri' means 'night'. Thus, 'Navratri' means 'nine nights'. There are many legends attached to the conception of Navratri like all Indian festivals. All of them are related to Goddess Shakti (Hindu Mother Goddess) and her various forms. It is one of the most celebrated festivals on the Hindu calendar!

We were lucky enough to be invited to share in this festival by Ram (one of the people on Matt's team.)  Ram and his wife live with Ram's parents in a two bedroom apartment in the city.  Ram also invited another lady that he and Matt work with named Rishika & she brought along her nine year old son, Adi.  They told us all about their gods & who & what they were celebrating during Navratri.  Ram's Mom made us an amazing Indian meal followed by Indian "sweets" and authentic "filtered coffee". 

I especially enjoyed the drive to Ram's house as we were able to see how the local Indian people decorate for the Festival.

I snapped this picture as we went whizzing by in our car but hopefully you can still see that this woman sitting on the sidewalk is hand stringing flowers together to make a garland.

As we continued to drive through town we would see pretty yellow flower garlands like this hung up all over town.  On store fronts, homes, cars, even in peoples hair!

 You can see the garland hanging off the two black motor scooters, the banana leaves at the entrance & the flower garland display on the signage.

I loved this guys Jazzy Jeans & that he's got his handlebars decked

out with banana leaves.

More banana leaves & garlands

While we were at Ram's house we got to talking about coconut.  They use it in a lot of dishes here & the kids are obsessed with them!  We recently bought a few and brought them home to check them out.  You know, up close & personal like.  I tell you what - Those things were like Fort Knox.  Matt beat the snot out of those suckers, in fact, I think at one point he even tried hacking at it with a screwdriver!  What we ended up with was a mangled coconut with the brown straw-like fibers pointing in all directions (kinda looked like my bedhead hair in the morning!) and a 1/2 dollar size hole in the side of it.  David enjoyed the coconut milk inside.  I don't know that anyone else really enjoyed it all that much!?  

Ram's wife thought all of this was SOOOOO FUNNY!!  So, she went into the kitchen, brought out a HUGE knife and a coconut & proceeded to show us how open a coconut.  Thank God for coconut lessons!  Up to that point, if Matt and I were ever stranded on a desert island - We would have croaked!!  Yep.  Matt's coconut cracking skills....STINK!  Well, they DID up until she showed us what to do.

Coconut Lesson

Ram's Mother made the most amazing rice I've ever eaten.  Literally.  One of the secret ingredients...Coconut!!  (Cristina, when you coming to visit!?  You'll think you've died and gone to Coconut Heaven!)

Here we are posing in front of their altar of various gods.  It was quite overwhelming listening to them talk about the gods and who does what etc.  I don't know how they keep them all straight!

They have had some of these gods since they were children!  They rearrange their living room to accommodate this altar.  It was HUGE!!!

I found this god fascinating.  As the story goes, he is over 40 years old.  Made out of paper mache & the artist that made him was BLIND!! 

The colors were so vibrant.  Truly gorgeous and mind-blowing that most of them are made out of mud!  WOW! 

The kids playing a rambunctious game of UNO with Adi in one of the bedrooms.

Although it's blurry (Mikey took the picture) I love this picture of me & Ram's wife.  We instantly shared a connection.  She was an easy laugher (gotta love that!)  Such a sweet girl.  I love her already!   

Again, Mikey behind the camera so a bit blurry but Ram & Matt sipping coffee & talking.

The owners of this house went "all out" with their decorating.  Loved the little flags like you would see flying at a car dealership at home!  Competed by flower-sparkly garland & banana leaves.  They were definitely in the Navratri Spirit!

 Even the simplest of accommodations seemed to be in the

holiday spirit as they've got their banana leaves

and garland decorations flying too.

Ram's Mom was so sweet with the kids.  She loved being with them.  It was really adorable.  Very kind woman & a GREAT cook!

I felt really honored to spend such an important holiday with their family.  I look forward to reciprocating and having them join us during a special Holiday time for us - Christmas!  JESUS is my reason for celebrating during the Christmas season & I can't wait to share it with them!  ox  Jenny from the B'Block

Home Sweet Bangalore Home

This post is specifically for my friend, Camryn!  Although others have asked to see the house, Camryn is to my knowledge my youngest blog reader & so I am dedicating this post to her!  YAY CAM!!!

Camryn would like to see pictures of our house so she can envision where Rachel, Erica, Michael & David are living these days & maybe some of the rest of you would like to see our new ghar too (Hindi word for house!)

Welcome to our Street! This is where we will be for the next three years!  Goodbye snow!  Hello Palms!! 

This is the front of our house!  We live at the end of a culdesac & the kids ride their bikes & scooters up & down the street all the time.

This is the left side of the house.  The window on the left is the kids playroom.  The doors lead to the living room area.  The kids LOVE to jump on the trampoline but we are still waiting on the security mesh that goes around the outside.

One of the things I am thoroughly enjoying in India is the laundry!  NO KIDDING!  I know that will be shocking news for my fellow laundry despising friends from home.  In the US, I always had
Mt. Washmore waiting for me in my laundry room.  In fact, one of my girlfriends and I hated our laundry situations so much that our motto ended up being, "Laundry today or naked tomorrow!"  Honestly, I think it's some sort of Indian Miracle how much I've come to enjoy the whole laundry process here.  I have a washer/drier combination machine.  You throw your clothes into the machine it washes them and then when it is done it automatically dries them.  It's an LG.  I wonder if you can get them in the US?  Soon enough, I suppose!?  Anyhow.  The only downside is that the washing machines here are so small.  The door opening looks like a porthole & the drying time (like everything else in India) takes forever!  SOOOOOO!  What do we do?  We hang our laundry out to dry.  Everybody does.  The days here are sunny and breezy so everything dries in a flash.  I can't tell you how much I love seeing laundry hanging out to dry throughout our neighborhood & the surrounding towns.  It's like a rainbow splash of color!  Everywhere you turn there are swatches of color in every shape & size.  Is that weird?!  I don't know why.  I just like it!  It truly is a miracle because I thought we were going to have to hire a full time person to babysit the washing machine and whenever it stopped running they would throw in the next load.  Surprisingly, we are managing just fine!  The laundry is all getting done and it's flowin' in the breeze and I'm lovin' it ;0)

Yay for line dried laundry!

Our Driveway

Silly side story, see the water sprinkler irrigation stick on the right hand side.  Poking out of the ground next to that tree?  The first time that sprinkler came on, Erica came running inside begging to run through the sprinkler.  I wasn't real keen on the idea (is it parasite plagued?!) so I told her to go ask her Dad.  Of course, he said, "Sure, why not?!"  (I guess that's why God gave her two parents b/c this one would have said, "Nope!")  Anyhooo, she went upstairs and put on her "swimming costume" as they call a bathing suit here and came bounding down the stairs, flung open the front door and at that very moment....The sprinklers turned OFF.  YAY!  There is a God and He's watching out for my kids! :0)  She's never asked to run through the sprinkler again since.  Maybe she's worried she'll get all dressed up in her "costume" again only to have a big let down?!  Whatever the reason - I'm glad I haven't had any other requests for sprinkler time.  (It's probably fine but you know us Mom's we tend to be the worried/concerned types or is that just me?!)

Right Side of the House

I would show you some inside pictures but there's not a whole lot to see.  We are living on Love!  Sleeping on air mattresses  and eating off paper plates; however, we got confirmation TODAY that our stuff is OFF the ship and at the port in Chennai.  Supposedly, another 7-10 days and our stuff will arrive in Bangalore.  Given the timing track record we've had since we arrived...I'd say if we have our stuff by Halloween we'll be doing good!

Now that you've seen the house - Who will be the first to visit!?  You've got three years to save up your pennies and MAKE IT HAPPEN!!!  xoxox

Toilet Etiquette 101

Matt took the day off of work on Friday so we could do some shopping together.  Although I don't have to dress like the locals - I was just "in the mood".

We stopped in a local rug shop.  Come to find out, former US President Bill Clinton had purchased rugs from their shop.  Of course, they had photos up all over the store of their "famous USA customer".  I tell ya what!  The rug salesmen here are GOOD!  I don't know how we walked away without purchasing something.  If Matt hadn't been there - I know I NEVER would have been able to say "No" to them.  More than likely, we will go back to the US with some pretty silk or wool Indian rugs but we weren't ready to purchase anything on that day.

Matt sipping his tea at the rug shop.  (It was delicious by the way!)

Hands down the highlight of our day was our trip to the Mantri Mall.  We were able to check all sorts of things off our "List".  We shopped in this one "Macy's" type store where we were able to get all sorts of home goods that we needed.  We filled our cart full of treasures.  (Here they call it a trolley, in NE they call it a carriage, when I lived in the south people called it a buggy....who knew there were so many words for the same item?!  A cart is what I grew up calling it in MN.)  Anyhow.  At one point the inevitable happened (I mean we were gone all day)....NATURE CALLED!  Believe you me - You avoid using public Indian bathrooms at all cost.  You NEVER know what the conditions will be and I have quickly learned to carry my own toilet tissue in my pocketbook & hand sanitizer b/c you may find a bathroom but chances are they won't supply you with any butt cleaning materials & soap?  Fagettaboutit.  Well, other than a 'shower' nozzle, that is!  (GRODY!!)  It's an ADVENTURE, I tell ya! ;0) 

So Matt went one direction to the men's facilities and I went the other to investigate the ladies laboratories.  Matt actually ended up calling into the bathroom to me to make sure I was okay.  When I came out he said, "What were you doing in there?!  You dropped a deuce didn't you!?"  Nooooo!  I most certainly did NOT!  I was taking pictures!!!!!  ;0)  hahahah!  I would have taken more but I know the Indian women that were in the bathroom were already wondering what I was doing in that stall.  When I came out to wash my hands there was a sign on the mirror that read, "Hand washing only.  No hair washing."  Geesh!  I'm so glad they told me - I was TOTALLY planning to wash my hair there!  EWWWWW!!!  Anyhow!  In case you are all unclear about how to properly use a toilet - Here is a little Indian Toilet Etiquette for a Monday morning! :0)  Enjoy!  (I think I'm going to frame it and hang it up in one of the bathrooms...I have six of them for Heaven's Sake!)

Up close of Line #1.  SERIOUSLY!  How many of you are sitting on TOP of the closet?!  Hahahaha!

You dirty little birds!  Knock it off!!!!

My biggest question here is if you are giving men advice about putting up the toilet seat when they pee etc...then why does their cartoon visual aide have BOOBIES?!?!  hahahaha!

This is the most disgusting one in my opinion because they do have what resembles a shower nozzle next to most toilets which apparently they call 'the jet'.  GROSS GROSS GROSS!  If the floor is wet when you open the stall door you can only assume someone has been using the jet - Then your mind starts racing...Did they just wash their 'business' on the floor?!?!  Did they stand on top of the closet?!  OH DEAR, GOD!  I don't want to know & I hate to say, "I told you so!" BUT all of these reasons are exactly why you avoid public restrooms in India unless your only alternative is to take a crap in your handbag (which I heard happened to a poor woman who was experiencing a severe case of Dehli Belly!!!)  Seem to recall a popular bumper sticker from my youth.  You know the one.....?????? 

$hi+ Happens!! 

Praying NOT to me ;0)

Skyping On A Sunday Morning

I have been trying to be faithful and blog everyday but our Internet has been down for almost FOUR days!  Crazy! So, I hope nobody was too worried about us :0)  Everybody is doing great.  I plan to write more tomorrow but for now I feel like sharing my 'heart' a little bit.  We woke up this morning and we able to Skype with Matt's parents and then we got to see one of our families favorite faces.  One of kids babysitters, Katie.  Oh man!  How the kids have missed her.  Me too.  She has become like family to us.  She lives right next door to us and has been babysitting for us for several years.  Not as much as we would like in the last couple of years b/c she decided to go off to something they call 'college'!?  I can't imagine why she doesn't just want to stay home for the next several years so that whenever I need her she can just walk over!?  Hahah!  Anyhow.  We have been trying to link up with her on Skype ever since we got here and with the time differences and all we just haven't managed to be on-line at the same time.  Well, this morning while we were chatting with Jamma & Big Pop-Pop the little window popped onto the screen showing us that Katie was online.  The kids got so excited at the thought of her being there.  We clicked to connect to her and then sat here waiting and listening to the beep, beep, beep while Skype was attempting to reach her.  At first we heard her voice but we couldn't see her.  Instantly, the kids were all hooting and hollering, oohing and aahing, "KATTTTIIIIEEE!"  Then we waited a few more seconds and we actually got to see her pretty little face!  OH MY HEART IS FULL!  I literally almost cried.  We chatted about India and how she is doing in college.  Rachel even went and got all of her 'horse gear' to show Katie.  The boys showed her helicopters and boats that they have made.  Katie has been like a big sister to the girls.  They talk 'girl talk' and go shopping and out to eat together.  Rachel & Erica have always taken interest in Katie's love life.  (It's so funny!)  So today, Rachel says, "Katie are you still with Alex.  No wait...I mean, PJ?!"  At which point Erica and I whisper in her ear, "Joe."  (Rachel was naming off EX-boyfriends) Rachel says, "Oh, yay!  I mean, Joe.!"  Katie gets a big smile on her face, and says, "Yes, I'm still dating, Joe."  Then there is a few second pause as the screen is panned to JOE who is sitting there in her dorm room!  Hahahah!  Oh man.  I hope he knew about the "boys that came before him" before this morning's skype session!? 

So we wrapped up our session and I went upstairs and started to get ready for church.  I could feel my emotions starting to kick in.  The shear excitement of actually SEEING and TALKING to Katie when we didn't known if she'd be available to answer our call & then just having a moment of sadness as I thought about how special she is to our family and how much we have all grown to love her.  At this point, Erica walks in and I said, "Did you get to say good-bye to Katie?  How did that go?!"  "Fine" she said, "but you know how when we were waiting to talk to her and we all started screaming when we saw her?  I almost CRIED!"  All I could say so that I didn't turn into a blubbering blob was, "OH MAN!  ME TOO, ERICA!"  We love our Katie.  Erica also proceeded to share that she was so glad that she kept herself together b/c she would have been so embarrassed if Joe would have seen her crying. :0) 

Special, special people in our lives.  We are so blessed.  God is good & we know we will see you all again.  This is only a temporary adventure.  Hugs & Kisses to all & thank you Katie if you are reading this for bringing so much love and happiness into our family.  You are so special to us.  We love you!  xoxox

The rest of ya, If you really want to put me over the edge - Skype us too! :)  Can't even begin to tell you how great it is to see and talk to people from home!
Mattnjen2