Giant in the house

Conversations quickly turn comic and verge on the ridiculous at my home.

Here's a sampling from a half hour ago, when Little Miss M. came back from playschool exhausted, cranky and ready for her afternoon nap.

M: Mommy, I want milk!

Me: Here you go.

I pour some milk into her Toy Story cup and hand it to her.

M: Nooooo! I want milk in my Minnie Mouse cup!

Me: Its in the dishwasher. Why don't you pick a mug from the shelf?

Little Miss M picks our biggest coffee mug. I pour out the milk from the Toy Story cup into it. It barely fills a quarter of the mug.

M (pouting): Why you giving me so little milk?

Me: Its a giant mug! That's why the milk looks less! Drink up.

M (eyes growing wide): Did you say giant mug? Does that mean a GIANT come to my house when I was in school?

Me (sighing): Yes. A giant came to...

M: The giant from Jack and the Beanstalk?

Me: Yes...Can you finish drinking your...

M (wailing now): I don't want a giant to come to my house!

Me (in damage control mode): No, no...he came to see me on some work...he needed me to write a press release....

M (wailing): I don't want a Fee Fie Fo Fum giant to come to my house. Its scary!

Me: OK I'll tell him never to come home again when I see him next.

M: Never ever ever...but, but...don't tell him that!

Me: Why?

M: I don't want you to meet him at home. I'm scared!

Me: I'll tell him in a restaurant, not at home OK? Drink up now.

M: No send him an email! Then you don't have to meet him!

Me: OK now will you just finish your milk?

M: Tell him: Dear Giant, Maya doesn't want you here. So never ever come here again ever! OK?


Living with a three year old sure has its moments.

150 hot samosas for Saturday's Spring Fair

My husband and I have promised to make 150 samosas on June 2. 

Yes. You read that right. One hundred and fifty to be exact. More if we can summon the energy. But 150 is a good number, don't you think?

We will spend tomorrow boiling pounds and pounds of Yukon Gold potatoes in their jackets, then peeling and sautéing them in fragrant Indian spices to make a savory filling. Then we will place them in the freezer until the next day, when we are ready to deep fry them in a borrowed commercial deep fryer, after wrapping each of them in a shell made of plain flour.

Are we insane? Probably. But its all for a good cause, so we don't mind.

Deliciously divine sweet potato mash curry

Sweet potatoes are one of my favorite vegetables ever. And when they are cooked with coconut oil something magical happens.

They turn divine.

This dish always makes me close my eyes and smack my lips.  

And the best part? Its super easy to make!

Most of the ingredients can be found at the International Grocery closest to where you live.

Feed the birds in style!

Make a Recycled Milk Jug Bird Feeder

Snot, snot and more snot. The past week has been full of it, with all three of us down with colds, fever and chest congestion. The husband took two days off work, the kid stayed home from playschool and we all just kept each other company, coughing in chorus and balling up wads of tissue all over the house.

When Little Miss M. was feeling a bit better, I came up with a fun activity that would keep her occupied but not sap all her energy and mine. A recycled milk jug bird feeder. 

You will need:

Dental drama

Yesterday was torturous. I sat with my mouth stretched open wide for three and a half hours, while my dentist and his hygienist had their way with my teeth.

Did I hear you say what was the matter? I needed three fillings and a crown replaced. 

Really minor stuff compared to having a wisdom tooth pulled or root canal surgery. Yet here I was with heart in my mouth and utter dread slowly eating away at me.

Running the 5K

My two-year-old participated in her first official race, this Sunday. Oh she was so excited! She could barely stand it.

The Neighborhood Co-op Grocery in Carbondale hosted the Nutrition 5K and Kid K for the 14th year in a row and they did a splendid job. What a perfect way to start our Tamil New Year which happened to fall on the same day.

No more black thumb!

Nothing like spending a few hours in the garden digging dirt.

My back is sore and my thigh muscles twinge every time I move, from all that exercise. Maybe I'm getting old. A few hours of gardening have done me in! But in a pleasant, happy sort of way.