I want to be a BANANA! - Career aspirations gone crazy!

Did you try asking your 3-year-old what she wants to be? If you haven’t already, please do. For you may be missing out on overly creative ideas of what one can be. They may not be out-of-the world, but will likely be out-of-the-box.

I was discussing professions with my five-year-old in a ‘who-is-what’ kind of way when I happened to pop the question to my nearly three-year-old. “So, what do you want to be, big boy”, I eagerly asked. Like an excited mother I think I was expecting a clever answer. It turns out I had not learned from my previous experiences with my older son. So, I was a little taken back when he answered B-A-N-A-N-A! 

What banana? I thought. I knew I hadn’t been able to focus on my younger one, being preoccupied by my older school-going boy. But, was he beginning to lack? Well, all those were my immediate thoughts before I decided to restrain them from going into overdrive. He gave the widest grin, happy to disrupt our serious discussion. He made clear of his ridicule for the well-known professions of doctor, architect, plumber, builder, teacher etc. 

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Handprint Keepsake Craft For Kids

Made these lovely keepsakes with my tot for her preschool teachers. They make a cute gift idea for Mother’s Day & Valentine's Day too. Wishing all the beautiful moms a very special Mother’s Day! Cheers 🥂.

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Celebrating A Century Of Posts

Esha and I collaborated to bring you this very special post. Enjoy!

A Century of Art and Prose

“Hebe’s here, May is here! 
The air is fresh and sunny; 
And the miser-bees are busy 
Hoarding golden honey.” 

Say so the famous words by the American poet, Thomas Bailey Aldrich.
And as the bees were busy making sweet honey and the animals, rearing their new-borns, so were we at ‘The Joy of Sharing’, creating and bringing more love to you through our posts.

Why the Drum roll?

We recently published our 100th post.  A big ‘THANK YOU’ to all our readers and followers who have been a part of our journey. Thanks for making our posts popular and leaving amazing comments. It is always a pleasure to hear from you. Some of our posts in the arts category have been extremely popular and we have tried to post more of related content.

Century Milestone Art

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Silly Shadows

How often have we seen a grown-up jumping in a muddy puddle? Or occupied following a trail of ants? Or wondering endlessly as rainbow arches in the sky? Hardly. Perhaps if they are parents or carers, out with the kids.

But, the sight of children amusing themselves with the apparent trivialities of everyday life is most common. They are the little people who see magic in a caterpillar turning into a butterfly and are charmed by a kitten chasing its tail. They are naturally curious and observant, with an ability to delight themselves with seemingly simple things. No wonder, my kids are so captivated by the sleight of light, the shadows.

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Kid-Made Mother's Day Gift - Personalized Canvas & Easel Craft

Sometimes, kids get creative themselves! This is one where my tot wrote these words on her own when asked to write something about mommy. She did such a great job writing the characters out and making cute little silhouettes that it became a great card for mother's day.

I decided to convert it into a memento for Mother's day by creating a canvas and easel with her artwork.

An easy scribbled craft for the very special mommies!

Happy Mother's Day

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DIY Mother's Day 3D Flower Card

Easy and colorful Mother's Day card Idea. Perfect Mother's Day craft project for preschool and kindergarten.

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Hi 5! Happy Birthday Big Boy

My older son recently turned 5! Another year just fleeted past right in front of my eyes and what a year it was! Over the top of my head, there are some quick milestones he achieved during the time. He mini graduated from nursery to school, started taking swimming and football lessons and learnt riding his bike without support. But, it is the subtle accomplishments that made him much more endearing. From giving flattering compliments to being a kind host at play dates, from teaching supermarket-shopping to his rather temper-throwing toddler brother to tricking him into doing his bid, he is maturing fast into the ways of the world.

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How I renewed Indian Passport in US within 10 days?

I recently got my Indian passport renewed in the United States. It took 10 days for the entire process to complete. Hurray!

Cox & Kings Global Services (CKGS) is the authorized service provider for the Embassy of India across the USA for the Indian Passport services. You need to apply on the CKGS website and follow the due process. Later, during the process, you will be directed to the Government of India website to fill your online passport form and then return back to CKGS to complete the application.

Here is the link to CKGS Indian Passport Application Center: https://passport.in.ckgs.us/

On the CKGS page, click on the “Passport Application Get Started” box, (Or you can use this direct link here: https://passport.in.ckgs.us/get-started) and it will start your passport application. Make sure to keep the document listed on the page handy before you start filling out the forms.

I selected Normal application type and state I live in. The centre is automatically populated based on the state you live in. Clicking on PROCEED extends the form and asked to select the services.

I selected reissue of passport since the passport is going to expire. Also, selected two miscellaneous services - 1) change of address and 2) addition of spouse name. And filled out the applicant details, submission details, and contact information.

There are two options to submit your application.

1. Walk-in to the consulate office
2. Shipping through courier service

We have had a successful experience using courier service option for my daughter's OCI card, so I was pretty comfortable sending the documents through courier this time as well. I decided to go for prepaid FedEx shipping service for both sides.

Here is the list of documents I submitted for passport renewal:

• Original Indian Passport 
• Photographs (3) - 2"x2" & white background 
• CKGS Online Payment Receipt 
• Online NRI Passport Application Form 
• Nationality Verification Form 
• Passport copy of first five and last two pages. 
• US legal Status 
• US Address Proof 
• Indian Address Proof 
• Affidavit for change of appearance/signature form  (Sample affidavit at the end of the post)
• Annexure E 

Since I requested to add spouse name in my passport, I submitted two additional documents though they didn’t ask for them.

• Marriage certificate 
• Copy of first & last page of spouse’s passport 

Here are the dates for your reference:

Aug 28: Sent the application with documents through FedEx express mail
Aug 29: Application ‘Received’ by CKGS but ‘Not Verified’
Aug 29: Application Verification is ‘Complete’. Processing of your application will continue”
Aug 29: Application ‘Under Process at CKGS’
Aug 29: Application in transit to the Indian Consulate.
Aug 30: Application is “AT EMBASSY”. Application is ‘Under Process’ at Consulate for decision making.
Sep 05: Application ‘Reviewed’ by Consulate and ‘In Transit’ to CKGS Application Centre
Sep 05: Passport ‘Received’ at the CKGS application centre and is at the ‘Sorting Facility’ where it is being processed for delivery
Sep 06: Passport picked up by FedEx
Sep 07: Received my new passport

USEFUL RESOURCES

Link to track the passport renewal application online https://passport.in.ckgs.us/trackandtrace/

Sample Online NRI Passport Application Form: https://passport.in.ckgs.us/resources/pdf/sample-passport-application-form.pdf

Sample Affidavit For Change Of Appearance And Signature For Indian Passport Renewal


Hope you find it useful!!

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Monster Easter – the chaos behind an Easter Bonnet

It is the time of the year again when all things eggs and bunnies, and all things chocolate start making their way into your home. The number of kids in the house essentially multiplies the Easter excitement. In my case, one had an Easter Bonnet parade at his preschool and another had a farm-cum-Easter themed Show-and-Tell.

Considering both happened in the same week, I decided to play smart and create a common object to serve both the purposes – an Easter Bonnet! And my boys decided to give it their favourite twist – Monsters! As it turns out, it was a colourful medley of ‘the sensible and the silly’.

FOLLOW OUR PINTEREST'S EASTER BOARD FOR MORE CUTE IDEAS!

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Holi Pichkari Craft

If you have read about India, you have surely heard of two big festivals - Diwali - the festival of lights and Holi - the festival of colours. It is not too presumptuous to guess that Holi is every Indian kid's favourite festival.

Holi allows little kids (and adults) to unleash their inner child, let go of all rules and have the time of their life with colours, balloons and pichkari (water syringe) . The most adorable and critical, being the pichkari, which comes in innumerable shapes and forms and becomes the weapon of choice for use against parents, uncle, aunties, and their little friends.

So, on the occasion of Holi 2018, we thought it did be apt to create a pichkari craft, so our little kid can learn about this wonderful colourful festival.

As they say - Don't mind, let it be bygone, it's Holi (Bura na maano, Holi hai).

Happy crafting!

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Aluminum Foil Easter Egg Craft

A few months ago, we made Christmas Tree Ornaments using aluminum foil and they turned out really lovely. Since Easter is around the corner, we thought why not use the same technique for decorating Easter eggs as well.

This is a super easy and cute Easter activity for toddlers & preschoolers. My daughter had a great time wrapping the cardboard eggs in foil and then decorating them with washi tape, buttons and sequins.

Check out this cute Easter Egg craft and how we made it below.

FOLLOW OUR PINTEREST'S EASTER BOARD FOR MORE CUTE & SIMPLE IDEAS FOR KIDS!

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3D Hearts Valentine Card For Kids

Just in time for Valentine, made this lovely 3D hearts card with my daughter today morning. She had a great time unleashing her artistic side using crayons and glueing hearts. And, took it along with her to her playschool for a card exchange activity.

This post contains affiliate links to the products mentioned. Read our disclosure policy for more information.

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