Confessions from Barney Live: Barney's Birthday Bash!

On Sunday, I stepped out in style with a trio of little people to catch a most exciting musical extravaganza.  Yes my friends, I went to see Barney!  Live!  The premise of the show was basically the excitement and planning for Barney's birthday followed by THE.ACTUAL.BIRTHDAY.PARTY! I'm not going to lie, I had no expectations for this show other than spending quality time with my cousin Tasneem, her husband Rahim and their two gorgeous kids Sophia and Zane.  My Kahzmir and I were delighted to be invited to spend a few hours with them.  The show did not disappoint.  I had a such a great time!  Hold your horses, I'm not buying the Barney record or liking his Facebook page but I did have a blast!

Barney and his pals deep in party planning mode.

A valuable lesson is shared...Barney doesn't need birthday gifts with friends like Baby Bop, her big brother BJ and their cousin Riff. (Yeah, I'm name dropping here... Just in case you were wondering who the other dinosaurs were.)

All he wants is a birthday card (with a picture of himself on it!)  Listen up parents of the world, this means there is no need to get your kids any of the latest Barney paraphenalia.  He just got you off the hook!

Sophia gets on top of her seat to get a closer look.

The best part of the show was seeing how excited all the kids were.  I looked around me and felt like I was at a New Kids on the Block concert!  Kids were dancing, screaming, clapping and yelling out "Barney! BJ! Baby Bop! Riff!"   Some of the kids closer to the stage were losing their minds whenever Barney came close.

 

Thankful to the Samjis for the invite and a spectacular show!  

My cousin Tasneem had a great time too.  I loved seeing her sing all the songs...and perform all the actions!  At one point she turned to me and said, "Yup!  This is my favourite Barney song of all time!" I love that she has a favourite Barney song!  Thankful for this chance to let go and look at life the way I did when I was a kid.  To sing out loud, dance a silly dance and tell the people around me that I love them was worth it!

Mom's Potatos and Peas

My Mom came by last night and dropped of some of her scrumptious Fish Pie and some Shepard's Pie too.   I'm having her Fish Pie for lunch right now and it feels like I am getting a big and loving hug from her too.  My Mom got rear ended on the way home from dropping her treats off to me.  Please send her a big hug along with me.

My Mom is an amazing cook.  Here is a recipe her Potatos and Peas.  I love to eat them on their own, with some naan or rotli or even some rice and yogurt. YUM!

This what your dish will look like if you add coriander as a garnish.

Photo via

Mom's Potatos and Peas
In a saucepan add:
1 tsp of oil
1 tsp of cumin
Curry leaves (Just a couple.)

Heat the above for one minute until you hear popping.

Next add:
2 tbsp of tomato paste
3 potatos diced
1 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp tumeric powder
1 pack of pigeon peas

Heat on low for about 20 minutes.  Stir and serve.

It's as simple as that!  Potatos and peas....yes please!

Awareness

I had the good fortune of attending an amazing Diversity and Social Inclusion Leadership Learning Forum at work this week.  Our facilitator Tabish showed us this great video during an exercise exploring the importance of self awareness.



Brilliant marketing for cyclists and road safety but the broader message is even more important.  Sometimes even with the best of intentions and focus we can miss out on something fabulous, like a moonwalking bear.