Holi!

March 8th was the official day of Holi, I think, but it was celebrated for several days around the Bangalore. Holi is a Hindu holiday, not sure of the real meaning, I was told lots of things. Anyway, you celebrate by throwing paint powder all over each other and also by spraying colored water out of water guns. This was fun! Our neighborhood had a tame/safe celebration and so did the kids' school. The kids loved this!!They want to have a Holi party this summer in Canton.

So for a few days, all around Bangalore you would see people covered in paint powder. Our skin and hair was dyed pink and yellow for a few days too. I think we are all back to normal now.

It is summer in Bangalore, it has been in the 90s F everyday lately. We have been doing lots of swimming. It hasn't rained here since December 27. I'm not sure if the rain would help or hurt some of the interesting smells of India, but the consistent 90 degree weather seems to be enhancing them. 

We are heading to Australia next week for spring break! We can't wait!

Holi at School

Sarah and MK at the Holi celebration at their school

I couldn't get Jonathan to stop and pose for a pic. He was having too much fun!

Holi at School and in Our Neighborhood

After the Holi celebration in our neighborhood.

MK's Assembly and Puja

MK at her recycling assembly at school

MK with some of her classmates. Her classmates come from India, Russia, France, Germany, England, Belgium, Switzerland, and one little cutie from the USA! I've been volunteering one day/week with these kids since the fall. They are such an interesting fun bunch.

Looks like a mug shot, but it is Jonathan at the Puja ceremony. Our neighbors bought a brand new car last week and invited us to their Puja ceremony for the car.

The car getting ready for the Puja. The Puja is a ceremony that I think takes all the bad and danger away from the car. There was fruit smashing, fire, chanting, smoke, all kinds of stuff happening. It was interesting!

Friends - Valentines and Lemonade

Valentines Party at our fav Italian Restaurant with neighborhood friends



Jonathan at the Valentine's Party.....Brian was out of town that weekend and I thought the party would be fun for the kids. Turns out, almost all girls at the party, the entire time Jonathan kept saying, mom, you told me there would be boys here.



'American Lemonade' stand in our compound. They sold lots, made 280 Rupees (~$6.00), which they decided to donate to charity.

Neighborhood Family Fun Day

Family Fun Day in our neighborhood. The houses in the neighborhood were divided into four teams and there were individual and team sporting events, to earn points for your team. Our team won!! This day seemed more popular with the Indians in our neighborhood and not so much the expats, but we took part and had fun.

MK came in second place in the kangaroo hop. She was pretty proud!

Sarah was on a relay team that took first place.

Tug of war

Ox ride with flat stanley



Jonathan and his dodge ball team. 



MK and her friend, Piper.

Kangaroo hop

The Leela Palace in Bangalore. A very nice hotel and one of our favorite places to eat. They have beef burgers.



Jonathan was very proud of his medal!



Out and About in Bangalore

We see this everyday.

Motorbike parking

Lots of construction here, with bamboo scaffolding



McDonalds!! No beef burgers, but the fries are good.



Nandi Hills

Sarah swam in her first Indian swim meet (and we thought the Shady Hollow swim meets were long, the Indians know how to really make a swim meet last a long time!)



Waiting....Sarah got a 2nd and a 3rd place. She was thrilled




The stove after the fire!




Nandi Hills



Nandi Hills -- Monkeys everywhere

Looking down!

MK lost two teeth!

See the monkey family up in the tree

Crazy Week

It was so so good to be back in the beautiful USA for 3 weeks for Christmas. Our first week back in India was a little rough, just getting used to India again. We're settled in again and doing OK.

Last week was a bit crazy though. The British headmaster of the kids' school was arrested and then fired. This made national news in India and the press has gone crazy with the story.  Long, long story that I probably shouldn't write about in this forum. 

My kids are fine and were not harmed. Although, it is hard for them to grasp that someone they looked up to and admired has allegedly done some bad things.

My kids have continued to go to school along with all the other kids at their school . However, we have started looking at other international schools. I hate for them to have to adjust to yet another school, but not sure their current school is a good place right now. As if this place isn't hard enough to deal with.

Also last week, our stove was apparently having some sort of gas leak and exploded and caught on fire, while I was trying to cook. So, my eye brows, eye lashes, and some of my hair is now missing! I was ready to pack my bags and come back home. I was thinking that must have been some sort of sign. I've calmed down again. I guess this is just life in India!

On a lighter note, we went to a state park type of place about an hour outside of Bangalore called Nondi Hills, where the monkeys run free! It was crazy, monkeys everywhere. I'll post some pics.

So overall we really are doing OK. I know people get arrested and stoves blow up in the USA too, just seems more of that crazy kind of stuff happens here and to me!

Hope everyone is doing well!