The last thing I bought myself was...

2012:
Can't remember! I did my hair color for myself last week, but that was only $3.39! Before that, I bought myself pair of summer shoes about a month ago.

2013:
Humm.. I bought myself 3 months membership for CrossFit on groupon!!!  I'm looking forward to it!!!

2018:
I just bought customized jewelry for myself. It's a locket with charms in it. I'm getting 3 trees and a moon in there (to match with kids' tattoo). Also bought another locket and 3 birthstones for kid's birth months.

Today I was so...

2012:
edgy. Every little thing was irritating me. As a result, I tried to spend more time reconnecting with friends to keep my mind off. But that didn't help much because I was hardly able to connect with anyone.

2013:
happy and proud! I drove all 5 kids to Yosemite on my own. It wasn't even to our regular route to Sentential Bridge. We went to Toulomne  Meadows. I had been there with JK and AWA just 2 weeks ago for the first time. I was nervous about getting lost. But everything went perfect. Hike was great! All the kids had great time playing in snow and lake.

What is in my mailbox today?

2012:
Nothing but the junk mail. In my email inbox... shipping confirmation for backpacking tent from Amazon, invoice from MDD Hosting for my websites, inquiry for placing ad on my site, site member asking for login help among other daily routine emails.

2013:
Not much comes in the mailbox lately, but I have been ordering few things online here and there. Last thing I got is cheese grater, since ours broke a while ago.

2018:
Nothing important. Just the junk mail. I was hoping to get my custom made jewelry in mail, but instead in went to our previous address, despite my update of removing the address from PayPal few months ago!

What is the smartest thing I did today?

2012:
Nothing really!

2013:
Not exactly today, but few days ago when JK asked me to name our trust fund, he gave me about 10-15 minutes for it. I was inspired with the name in seconds - Janki Family Trust. It just popped up in my head out of nowhere. I'm so pleased with the name. It's just right for our family on so many levels.

Was I good or bad today?

2012:
I would say that I was good today! Made green smoothie, took the conf. call from home at 8.. logged off from work at about 9 and went off to work. Dropped off Neil at mom's on the way. Helped BT with Silverlight error message, did TCG testing, came home and worked the budget and updating the expenses. All in all, productive day!

2013:
I'm good pretty much everyday. I make conscious effort for letting go of negative thoughts.

2018:
Good for most part! I'm adopting a new rule of pity party for only 5 minutes and then, move on. And 'can't change it'. If it's something I can't change, I have power to react to it in positive manner. The bad parts me eating two ice cream bars! Well, I had brought one for Ron and he didn't want it, I suppose he has better will power than I do.

What is my most prized possession?

2012:
It was MJ's photo in my checkbook cover and I've misplaced the checkbook somewhere. :( I've tried to look for everywhere ever since, but haven't found it yet. :(

2013:
Besides MJ's photos, his letters from 25+ years back! I just ran into them again few days ago and refreshed all the memories from back then!

2018:
Other than above, family photos and scrapbooks.

Without looking at previous year's entry first, sign my name.

2012:
Well.. this is the first year.. so here it goes...

Ripal... Ever optimistic, who won't be sitting here in THIS room next year.

2013:
Ripal, who can't WAIT to move in to new home!!!

2018:
Well, even before opening the page, first thing that came out to my mind was, Ripal... The ever optimistic! But I see that it's already taken. I'm NOT sitting in the same room, but I don't know it's the good thing or bad. Moving on...

Ripal... Who keeps on moving on!!!

What project am I working on?

2012:
None really.. having tight budget kind of limits you in everything. I did start on 'A Life in a Week' project, which I need to finish and get the book printed.

2013:
 Other than ongoing Project Life album, our current project is virtual home decor for the new home! Kids and I get together every evening to plan out every room of the house.

2018:
Getting all photos organized in Lightroom, keywords added and delete unwanted photos.

What matters today?

2012:
What matters the most for me is kids' happiness! I always want to see them happy and content.

2013:
 What mattered the most today was that mom and masi are safe and on their way home from their trip, which ended up being a flood zone and landslide zone. Thousands of people are still missing, so I'm so grateful that they're safe and sound back at home!

2018:
Despite the setbacks this morning, it turned out to be a great day and that's what matters.

On my To-Do list this morning:
CrossFit
Visit Akriti to talk about Avni moving in with her.
Get old iPad fixed.
Maybe some cloth shopping while I'm at the mall.
Get Pleasanton library card.
Fill up the gas.

Even though I had told MIL that I needed to leave home in 10-15 minutes, she waited till last minute to tell me to sweep/mop the kitchen. So, obviously, I ran late for my CrossFit class by 15-20 minutes. I didn't even leave home till 12:05 and class started at 12. I drove up there anyway to see Of Coach Brian was still there and take my chance. Luckily, he was still there. I didn't do the workout, but we had a great much needed talk for an hour. We talked about why and how I fell off the wagon and what needs to be done to get me back on track. We've decided that I need to start coming in at 5:30 class on my off days no matter how hard it is for me. That's what worked for me before. I can do it again.

Then, I called Avni to let her know that I'm on my way to see Akriti and she told me that Akriti just went out and won't be back till later. Well, Brian had told me that she's attending Judy's housewarming party, so I'll just meet her there, since I was kind of debating on going.

I realized that I left my wallet at home, so no shopping for me. Went to Apple store anyway, since that was one place I knew that would take Apple Pay if I needed to pay for iPad repair/service. Turns out iPad is dead weight now and can't be repaired. However, it was Hamid who took my case and I got to chat with him for a few minutes and he offered me his 25% employee discount if I wanted to buy a new one. Well... I had already bought a new one from Costco few months ago, but if Neil wants to buy one, I'll keep him in mind. It was Hamid who got Neil $500 discount for his Macbook Pro too!

Of course, I couldn't fill up the gas without my card, but that I can deal with it later.
As far as library card, I'll just get it some other time.

So, all in all, it wasn't bad at all!

What is the last book I read?

2012:
I've been reading on daily basis lately... Always the Wedding Planner, Never the Bride, Always the Designer, Never the Bride and Full Circle are among the few I've read this month.

2013:
 I have about 2 or 3 books in my reading list right now. Just finished  'Until the Death do us Apart' by Julia Dutta. It's short story collection about relationships.

2018:
The Wife Between Us. It was a good book with many surprising twists and turns.

What hat was the last thought I had today?

2012:
Why is this computer is running sooooo sloooooow? I guess it's time to reboot! :( My eyes are burning really bad! I better just go to sleep!

2013:
Yikes!! I just signed up for CrossFit and about to sign up for Half Marathon. What was I thinking!!!!!!

2018:
I had told Bhavana to meet up in the morning for hike and shopping, but unexpectedly, I am working 9-11. How am I going to break it to her that I won't be able to pick her up till 11:30!!!

What is the most important thing I was told today?

2012:
As Pinal was driving me to the airport, we were talking about the family dynamics of Nima/Ronak and Fali/Prexa/Anup. We both had to say and agree that we're so glad to have our family the way it is without any major drama. We've been really blessed with awesome family and wonderful, amazing  kids!

2013:
As I was listening to MJ's satsang this morning, what he talked about was spot on to what I needed to hear.
"As you wouldn't collect trash from entire town and compile it in front of your home, one shouldn't keep thinking about others'  bad qualities, bad behavior. It only ruins our heart, mind and soul. Concentrate on people's good qualities rather than focusing on bad qualities. If the person focused on Neem tree's bitter taste, he would miss out on all good medicinal qualities of Neem, If God can forgive thousands of our faults, we should be easy on forgiving other people's mistakes/faults."

2018:
Avni was asking me about the budgeting program (YNAB), if she should get it. I told her that it only works if you work. You have to create the budget and update every few days. She said, "Yes , mom! I used to do it with you. You've trained me well!" It feels good to know that while she may not be too excited when I was making her sit with me every time I did the budget, idea got in her brain and knew the importance of it.

There is no such thing as too much..___

2012:
LAUGHTER! I can always use some more. Love having out laughing sessions with kids and phone call with Pinal or Kalpu that's full of laughter!

2013:
time with kids! I love hanging out with them in the evenings.It's just so much fun!

2018:
SLEEP!!! I need some sleep!On Friday,  I was visiting Bhavana in Brentwood after work and didn't get home till midnight. Then, I woke up early to go help her shop at Ikea and Santos for groceries.  I was up till 3 on Saturday night, mainly because I was waiting for Neil and Avni to come home, but also because I got busy working with photos in Lightroom. I did sleep till 9 next morning, but it just wasn't enough to recover from my workdays and staying up late on my off days. Oh well, good thing I Get three days off after tomorrow.

What is my favorite dish to prepare?

2012:
Anything that's new... But I've been known to make different kind of breads. I've been labeled to be a good baker. ;) Love finding new recipes of pizza and different kind of breads.

2013:
lots, but I love making deep dish pizza and vegetable biriyani.

2018:
Yeap, love baking bread, but now, for different reasons. I love to bake bread when kids are home and they have friends over. We have bread dipping party with all kinds of olive oils, infused vinegars and dipping oils.

What am I looking forward to?

2012:
My trip to Chicago! Prexa is coming from TX and all (Prexa, Pinal, Fali, Nima) of us getting together and spending night at Downtown Chicago!

2013:
Moving to our new home!!!!!!! It's almost time, we've started making plans for it, ready to place the offer and move in!

2018:
Sanam's wedding in Chicago in 3 July!!! We get to spend entire week with family and most importantly, with Pooja!!!!

How many push-ups can I do?

2012:
No idea. Maybe five? I don't do exercise.

2013:
probably none. But I do plan to run half marathon next month and beat my time from last year.

2018:
Recently, I have been able to do 15 unbroken Rx push-ups, not just knee on the floor, push-ups. Before it used to be 10. Working on getting that number much higher.

Did I show someone appreciation today?

2012:
Unfortunately, not that I can think of. But then, I've hardly been in contact with anyone today.

2013:
Mary from TMMO emailed me and said something like... "I am so happy for you!  You seem to have such a heart to serve others and interact with them and you deserve this (house)!!" I replied back to her saying how much I loved her sweet note and that it made my day!

2018:

What is the last purchase I made?

2012:
Grocery shopping on Saturday. As far as fun shopping goes, I bought a pair of shoes (summer flip flops) about 2-3 weeks ago.

2013:
Few things in last week. Bought a purse from Just Fab because I had accidental credit along with sandals and mini purse for girls. Also ordered mini scissors for eyebrows. Yesterday, I went to Costco for groceries and ended up buying the Sonicare brushes for Neil and Pooja in anticipation of new home with their own bathrooms. I'm careful not to start shopping for new home until it's confirmed news, but it was on $20 off and sale was ending yesterday.

2018:
3-in-1 charging cables. Handy for work and car to share with other non-apple products.

How did I do it?

2012:
Sometimes, I wonder myself how did I do it or that how am I still doing it. Be it a marathon, hike or pulling the weight of the household. I give 100% credit to my faith in everything I have been able to do. Without it, I couldn't survive even for a minute. I would've had a nervous breakdown long time ago for everything I have endured so far!

2013:
After JK shared the news of upcoming changes, I'm surprised at myself about how I'm able to keep cool about it. I'm slowly making the lists, taking one step at a time. Maybe in back of my mind, I'm still in denial. Having gone thru this so many times for so many years, I don't want to believe it till I see it.  It definitely helps listening to MJ every morning on conference calls to keep things in perspective.

2018:
Speaking of Mount Everest hike... It was definitely, mind over matter. I hate cold, can't deal with it. I was scared to try it out, because of what Kalpu had described from her first trip that she had frostbites on her fingers, toes and ears for 2-3 days!!! But knowing what to expect helped me prepare better and I was armed with layers of jackets, socks, gloves, hats, hand warmers and toe warmers. Having a great company sure helped too! It turned out to be the most amazing time!

what am I confident about?

2012:
I am confident that if I set my mind on something I can do it, no matter how hard it is.

2013:
I am confident that once we move, I'm going to turn that mansion into beautiful HOME. The one where kids would love to invite their friends, kids can make lifelong friendships that they'll remember for a long time, not because of the size of the home, but because warm and welcome friendly environment.

2018:
I am confident that all three kids have bright future ahead of them. I have prepared them well to be out in the world on their own. Avni and Neil are moving into apartments at end of July and while I'm partially sad about Avni moving, I am proud of her that she is prepared for it.

What made me lose track of time today?

2012:
Humm.. considering that I woke up at 4:30, went on our way to Half Marathon by 5:15, ran the race, stopped by for lunch, went to mom's home to pick up my car, had another lunch there, came home, took a nap, went to Rodeo for the trash clean up till 9:15 PM... It's been a LONG day!

2013:
Day's been going slow today, but it helped to stop by at dad's to have lunch with Kalpu and then, reading more about organizing home.

2018:
considering I was working and it was Sunday, it was super slow day. All Sundays are.

Who is my most reliable friend?

2012:
Sad to say, I don't have any local friends. None that I can just call and have a talk with or go out with.. let alone being reliable for anything that I might need. Arti, my childhood friend is semi-local, but there is no way I can rely on her for anything. She's the kind of person that overbooks herself, can't say no to anyone and at the end, things doesn't get done.

However, I'm lucky to have Kalpu that I can count on for almost anything.

2013:
Nothing has changed from what it was last year. Now, if we're talking about relying on a friend to have a shoulder to cry on... pour my heart and share my dreams, joys and sorrow.. I can always count on Lisa, Darcy and Tina!

2018:
Lisa, Tina and Darcy are still the best I have so far! Bhavana is about to move here, who might turn out to be a reliable friend, but time will tell.

What's the last recipe I prepared?

2012:
Each one of us likes to try out new recipes. Tonight, Pooja and Neil were trying out peanut butter cookies. I tried out sweet and sour cucumber slices on saturday. on Sunday, JK and Neil tried out frankie made with paneer.

2013:
Last week, I made paneer bhurji and aloo muttur paneer for rotary club  fundraising dinner.

2018:
Two days ago, I made spicy nut mix and it turned out pretty good!!! Kalpu shared those with me during our Everest hike and I loved them, so I had to make my own batch. Made them with salt, turmeric, chilli powder, Amchur (mango powder), chaat masala and sanchar (black salt).

List Five Thing I wish I Invented

2012:
Can't think of any right now. If I could, I would've been busy working on them.

2013:
Perfect organizing system that works across family, not just for one person.

2018:
Not a creative bone in my body!

Share a secret thought.

2012:
I'm really really tired of waiting game of things getting better. I'm literally losing it now. Running out of patience  quite often.

2013:
Ok.. so with chances of having a new home very soon in the future, I've had some thoughts regarding change in future. How will Dharmesh and Kalpu will react to the news? Will our relation be stronger or weaker? Will we be moving on to our own path or go back to how close knit we used to be? As exciting as all these is, it's scary at the same time.

2018:
I don't know what my future holds. I'm scared to think that I'll be stuck working at Tesla factory forever with no bright future. What will happen in retirement. How will I get enough money to get girls' married... As hard as I' wiling to work for it all, it wouldn't have hurt if just a little bit of luck was on my side. Not only that JK doesn't help out with anything, he pretty much ruined our chance at getting a low income home by having one of his account in collection.

Did anything make me sad today?

2012:
Nope. It was pretty good day today. Kept myself busy with work.

2013:
Nope. Haven't had those sad moments lately. Hopefully, there won't be any as often as they used to be.

2018:
I'm not going to let anything make me sad. It's going to be a wonderful day!!!

What was the last gathering I attended?

2012:
Last week, it was girl scout camporee with 321 girls/moms and the next day, Katha/housewarming party at mom's with about 80+ guest. It was lots of fun!

2013:
Camporee with 350+ girls/moms and then, yesterday at Lilaben's home.. for Satyanarayan katha... about 31 people.

2018:
It's been a while. Last gathering would be one of the Crossfit events. Other than that, I do't have much of social life.

When did I last sing out loud?

2012:
Must be in the car when kids are with me... just to annoy them! :) They can't stand it when I sing along. I do a good job at ruining their songs forever! :)

2013:
 It would only happen in my car.

2018:
In my car. I love singing Datt Bavani .

How close to perfect was today?

2012:
It would've been perfect day if I was able to get out and run for an hour or so. Also, if I was able to scrap some. I meant to do it, but got distracted watching TV/movie with kids. Which makes it for a perfect day anyway. Took Neil to boy Scout event, had samosa for lunch, hung out with Avni to watch TV with her, grocery shopping, tried out new recipe, amazed Pooja with new recipe of Enchilada (new to her)... What more could I ask for?

2013:
There is no such thing as perfect. But any day that I can spend some time scrapping, talk to friends/family, hang out with kids is a perfect day.  Most of my days lately would fall into this category. Definitely grateful for it!

2018:
It was ok. I was home all day. I had planned to go out for shopping and stuff, but ended up staying home all day. Neil and Avni had things going on, so they were both gone. Didn't come home till late, however, I was up till 12:30 planning for our Yosemite trip next day after they got home.

List the credit cards in my wallet.

2012:
I haven't had any credit cards in years. I do have 2 debit cards of my Chase bank in the wallet. That's about it.

2013:
nope. No credit cards.

2018:
Amazon Prime, CitiCard from Costco and TJX from Homegoods, and Chase debit card. But after I quit the HomeGoods job, I hardly go there and shop, I don't use the card. Only go to Costco for gas. Amazon card is the one that gets the most use - by kids. But I pay them all off every month.