Hello!
This might be our last posting for a while...what with the travel restrictions from COVID-19. We have April, May, and July trips planned...but let's see what happens...
Arizona was a two part trip. For the first four days, we rented a house with P's college friends, who came from Hawaii, LA, New York, and Indianapolis (us).
It turns out, having three kids under 6 years old means that viruses love our household. Similar to India trip (Nov 2017 - Liyu got gastro the night before our trip out there) and Palm Springs trip (Feb 2018 - Saya got food poisoning on day 2), we were not in the best shape going into this trip. P had flu the week before, and Saya got diagnosed with an ear infection the day before our flight out.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Baka and Darshana saved us. We were cranky, tired, and sick, and likely looked a mess, when we alighted. We had a few hours to kill before the rental house was available, so we crashed at Arizona home for a few hours and got some nice time with the kids, got yummy food, and refreshed a bit.
We made it to the rental house. Here is a pic of the shibens as we make our first (of many) grocery runs for a house full of 9 adults and 8 kids:
The house was gorgeous. More than 10 bedrooms, plenty of bathrooms, indoor space to run around, a huge yard with a putting green, bocce court, grilling deck, and pool (and hut tub!). More space than we needed, but perhaps at the next reunion in 4 years we'll have a bigger group (missed you Kleins and other Birnbaums!).
Day 2 was low key and relaxing. Saya stayed home with Aku and Jyoti, and the rest of us went to a nearby playground to run off steam. Thanks to Uncle Cliff and Uncle Andrew for keeping the kids occupied with various antics :)
Day 3. Saya asks all the older kids to read Dory Fantasmagory to her. No one obliges. But it's a really fun book, she says. No one obliges. She convinces Jyoti to read it, but whispers "read it right here in the middle of the floor where everyone can see us." Because, she knows that it's a fun book. And the other kids, once they hear it, will want to listen too. Is this little 4 year old a little too smart at times?
Rest of day is a fun day out. Go to Pizzeria Bianco for lunch. Go to the Children's Museum because someone gave Brooke 14 free tickets yesterday (nice!). Come home and have a nice grill out. Delicious veggies (eggplant, zuccini, portabellas), veggie burgers for us and hot dogs and burgers for other folks. Lounging in the pool (and hot tub!) afterwards.
Day 4. More relaxing day spent mainly in the house. Uncle Cliff goes on trial for "stealing the last potato chips." Judge Uncle Andrew presides. There does not appear to be a prosecutor, but the gaggle of children on the bunk bed is making the accusations and have put Uncle Cliff in "jail" underneath the blankets and pillows. Harold is the defense attorney. After a fair and impartial trial, Cliff is found guilty of eating the last potato chips, but not guilty of the more severe offense of stealing the bag of chips. Judge Uncle Andrew sentences him to time served and a judicial order to buy new potato chips for all the children to share.
The kids get a baby sitter (Paige -- thanks Baka and Darshana!) and the adults get a night out at a really good Mexican restaurant Barrio Cafe.
Day 5. Leave the reunion and head over to see Ananya didi and Samin bhai! Baka and Darshana have always been, and continue to be, so warm and accommodating. Aku gets a huge crib to himself and we take over the casita. Liyu and Sayu get to do bedtime with didi and bhai. Baka doing an overnight 24hr, so we miss him.
Day 6. Baka's back! And has the day off to spend with us. Shenanigans all around!
Day 7. JyoE birthday! Happy birday pardy. Barre Class with Darshana while Baka and I take the kids on a hike. Note everyone's style.
Aku loves the ball on the slide game :)
We get Samin bhai and Ananya didi early from school and go out to yummy spinach pizza at Spinato's. We go to a horse show where we learn that none of us is any good at judging horses. But we have lemonade, popcorn, and smoothies, so it's all good.
Then home for a Jyo-picked (and Darshana-provided) dinner of Korean Bo Bim Bap. Dharti foi (and her acupuncture needles) comes for a visit too!
Fun times with friends and family.
Back to Indy on Feb 22 after a great lunch of grilled Beyond burgers. And then bhajia when it starts raining, because that's what we do! :) Until next time, Arizona family!
This might be our last posting for a while...what with the travel restrictions from COVID-19. We have April, May, and July trips planned...but let's see what happens...
Arizona was a two part trip. For the first four days, we rented a house with P's college friends, who came from Hawaii, LA, New York, and Indianapolis (us).
It turns out, having three kids under 6 years old means that viruses love our household. Similar to India trip (Nov 2017 - Liyu got gastro the night before our trip out there) and Palm Springs trip (Feb 2018 - Saya got food poisoning on day 2), we were not in the best shape going into this trip. P had flu the week before, and Saya got diagnosed with an ear infection the day before our flight out.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Baka and Darshana saved us. We were cranky, tired, and sick, and likely looked a mess, when we alighted. We had a few hours to kill before the rental house was available, so we crashed at Arizona home for a few hours and got some nice time with the kids, got yummy food, and refreshed a bit.
We made it to the rental house. Here is a pic of the shibens as we make our first (of many) grocery runs for a house full of 9 adults and 8 kids:
The house was gorgeous. More than 10 bedrooms, plenty of bathrooms, indoor space to run around, a huge yard with a putting green, bocce court, grilling deck, and pool (and hut tub!). More space than we needed, but perhaps at the next reunion in 4 years we'll have a bigger group (missed you Kleins and other Birnbaums!).
Day 2 was low key and relaxing. Saya stayed home with Aku and Jyoti, and the rest of us went to a nearby playground to run off steam. Thanks to Uncle Cliff and Uncle Andrew for keeping the kids occupied with various antics :)
Day 3. Saya asks all the older kids to read Dory Fantasmagory to her. No one obliges. But it's a really fun book, she says. No one obliges. She convinces Jyoti to read it, but whispers "read it right here in the middle of the floor where everyone can see us." Because, she knows that it's a fun book. And the other kids, once they hear it, will want to listen too. Is this little 4 year old a little too smart at times?
Rest of day is a fun day out. Go to Pizzeria Bianco for lunch. Go to the Children's Museum because someone gave Brooke 14 free tickets yesterday (nice!). Come home and have a nice grill out. Delicious veggies (eggplant, zuccini, portabellas), veggie burgers for us and hot dogs and burgers for other folks. Lounging in the pool (and hot tub!) afterwards.
Day 4. More relaxing day spent mainly in the house. Uncle Cliff goes on trial for "stealing the last potato chips." Judge Uncle Andrew presides. There does not appear to be a prosecutor, but the gaggle of children on the bunk bed is making the accusations and have put Uncle Cliff in "jail" underneath the blankets and pillows. Harold is the defense attorney. After a fair and impartial trial, Cliff is found guilty of eating the last potato chips, but not guilty of the more severe offense of stealing the bag of chips. Judge Uncle Andrew sentences him to time served and a judicial order to buy new potato chips for all the children to share.
The kids get a baby sitter (Paige -- thanks Baka and Darshana!) and the adults get a night out at a really good Mexican restaurant Barrio Cafe.
Day 5. Leave the reunion and head over to see Ananya didi and Samin bhai! Baka and Darshana have always been, and continue to be, so warm and accommodating. Aku gets a huge crib to himself and we take over the casita. Liyu and Sayu get to do bedtime with didi and bhai. Baka doing an overnight 24hr, so we miss him.
Day 6. Baka's back! And has the day off to spend with us. Shenanigans all around!
Day 7. JyoE birthday! Happy birday pardy. Barre Class with Darshana while Baka and I take the kids on a hike. Note everyone's style.
Aku loves the ball on the slide game :)
We get Samin bhai and Ananya didi early from school and go out to yummy spinach pizza at Spinato's. We go to a horse show where we learn that none of us is any good at judging horses. But we have lemonade, popcorn, and smoothies, so it's all good.
Then home for a Jyo-picked (and Darshana-provided) dinner of Korean Bo Bim Bap. Dharti foi (and her acupuncture needles) comes for a visit too!
Fun times with friends and family.
Back to Indy on Feb 22 after a great lunch of grilled Beyond burgers. And then bhajia when it starts raining, because that's what we do! :) Until next time, Arizona family!
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