Holi Celebration in San Diego

This event has been re-scheduled and will take place this coming Saturday, March 6th at 10:00 a.m.

For more information on Holi and this event, visit:
http://artoflivingsd.org/newsletter/holi.html

Screening of Tamil Movie: Vinnai Thandi Varuvaya

San Diego Services: Come N Learn

Laughs aside, firstborn is showing extremely, impressive progress and fascination with his Maths now. Accolade and thanks to the program "Come N Learn".

Read all about " Come N Learn" right from the founder/ pro educator Ms. Geetha Narasimhan.

ComeNLearn’s Math Program

ComeNLearn is a unique supplemental education program designed for students in the grade range PreSchool to 12^th grade. It helps students to excel in school. It also helps them to get ready for standardized tests like STAR, PSAT, SAT and ACT.

The education is based on Instruction in the classroom and Practice at home.

It helps develop Math expertise at a self-paced speed, through completing well-designed workbooks, spending 20-30 minutes each day.

Students attend two 30 minute classes per week and complete workbooks six days a week. (No work assigned for instruction day). Work is graded by instructors and/or assistant instructors. Parents need not grade.

Math workbooks contain both arithmetic and story problems*(*starting grade 2).

Math workbooks are also equipped with lessons and examples to enable self-learning and reinforce an independent work ethic.

Daily practice leads to solid understanding and competence in performing basic numerical operations.

Daily practice also leads to speed in solving numeric problems.

Instruction classes are taught by an experienced instructor. Here, students participate in an interactive session alongside other students in the same (or adjacent) work level. Students learn by seeing sample questions being solved and by answering verbal questions designed to increase understanding.

Story problems develop logical skills and help with application of numerical concepts learnt to do real problems.

Starting grade 2 there are many story problems along with numerical problems which help students learn logical concepts for problem solving in addition to arithmetic.

PSAT/ACT/SAT problems are occasionally included in the workbooks in gradual measure starting from grade level 4.

Each grade level has a Level Completion test. Students are expected to achieve 95% or better in the test to proceed to the next grade level.

Students can graduate to several grade levels higher than their current grade level at school as they progress in the program.

The Curriculum

ComeNLearn workbooks contain material designed to track the State of California School Syllabus and develop the students’ skills in tasks expected by the State of California curriculum for the various grades.

It is comprehensive in covering the type and range of problem solving expected of students in each grade level.

The material learnt in ComeNLearn is directly applicable to performance in school and in standardized tests.

Students start in the program based on performance in one or more level completion tests. No “artificially low” or “too easy starting point” will be required.

The fees

The program is designed to be very affordable. There is a startup/registration fee of $25. The monthly tuition ranges from $85- $110 per subject per student. The tuition is dependent upon the ComeNLearn grade level the student is in.

More information

To find out more, please schedule an Information Meeting by calling Geetha Narasimhan at (858) 523-0429 between 7:30 A.M. and 6:30 P.M. or send an email to comeNLearn@gmail.com. ComeNLearn Math classes (PreSchool2 to 8^th grade) started in Sept. 2009 and are currently ongoing. In the course of 2010 English classes will be started. Please check with Ms. Geetha for specific dates. If you have high school students, getting ready for PSAT/SAT/ACT, ask about summer PSAT/SAT prep classes.

If you are currently enrolled in another program, fill in this table to compare.

ComeNLearn Program’s Integral & Attractive features	ComenLearn	other
Well designed workbooks to be completed six days a week. 20-30 minutes of daily work that includes numerical and story problems for learning by practice.	√
Weekly Interactive instruction classes (30 min long) help students learn new material well while enjoying a classroom style learning alongside peers.	√
Several story problems (Grades 1 and above) to develop application skills.	√
Curriculum closely aligned to the State of California’s published (on the web) School Curriculum and directly helps the student in school work.	√
Instructors and/or assistant instructors grade students’ work. Parents are not expected to grade the students’ work. No “home grading”	√
Workbook design to avoid boring exercise of repeating same workbook. Students practice on different workbooks emphasizing same concepts.	√
Number of workbooks increase (upto 20% more) as students move to higher grade levels for smooth learning of complex material.	√
Inclusion of PSAT/SAT/ACT style questions as part of daily work (Grade level 4 and above), preparing them for the future gradually.	√
A starting point in the program that is appropriate for the students’ knowledge, skill level and grade level. No confusing placement tests or low starting point.	√
Quarterly parent teacher conferences to appraise the parent of the progress and performance of the student in the program.	√
Startup fee of $25 and monthly tuition of $85-$110 with monthly commitment. No quarterly contracts required.	√

My Child & I

Firstborn's Maths skills are improving but his way of relating numbers to something familiar is what's more interesting (and frankly some times distressing too).

Here's a sample:

Skip counting by two's : "...20, 22, 24... hey, that's my birthday!"

Addition: "5 + 25 = 30 ... hey that's how old Appa was when I was born!!!"

Subtraction: 12 people in a party, 2 left early - "Was it a birthday party?"

Is it just me; Or do you also sense his fascination for Maths, er... birthdays/ages.

My Child & I

Firstborn is further honing his maths skills with word problems.
And is also learning the concept of time as in am/ pm.

Mom: " Baked a cake- cut it into 12 pieces- ate 4 pieces- how many are left?"

Firstborn: "Its subtraction - as it says left; the answer is 8"

Mom: " Have 5 pennies in one hand and 8 in another, what's the total?"

Firstborn: "Have to add- as it is total; answer is 13 "

Mom: " Am clearing left-overs after dinner. So, what time is it?"

Firstborn: "Time to subtract- as it's what's left !!!"

My maths: subtract(cooking time) , add (reading time) = happy time(s)!

Circus Vargas in San Diego

Family Entertainment at its finest...Circus Vargas 2010!

Mira Mesa Community Park : March 18-22

The quintessential coupling of traditional acts and modern concepts, a production par excellence! Join us for what is sure to be one of the most enjoyable and memorable editions of Circus Vargas to date, an ingenious mélange of unparalleled artistry and comical relief.... a welcome diversion from the everyday doldrums. Come join the FUN!

Free interactive Pre-Show!

Bring the kids early to participate! Hosted by Reality TV personality from CBS' Amazing Race: Jon Weiss! Jon Weiss is front and center, welcoming the audience and inviting the children of all ages into center ring to feel what life is like under the Big Top! Join the fun with Jon as he guides everyone on a crash course in circus skills such as juggling, feather balancing and hula-hooping!


A Recipe for Fun!

Circus Vargas blends an elegant display of strength, speed, grace and dexterity with an overall ambiance of humor, foolishness, and drollery! Mix in a little sawdust, some spotlights, beautiful music, and the intimacy and excitement of the Big Top and you have the magic recipe...Circus Vargas 2010.

My Child & I

Play date at a friend's place.

Friend (at her son): "Thambi, no jumping from the couch"

Firstborn (who's also addressed as Thambi by us) : "Amma is that boy, ME?"

My Child & I

Playing a game of "what does not belong in a group/list"

Mom: "mango, apple, orange, peas"

Firstborn:"Peas! It's a vegetable and others are fruits"

Mom: " Eyes, Ears, Nose, Feet"

Firstborn: "Eyes?!"

Mom: "How...?"

Firstborn: " Ice (eyes) is cold and all others are in my body"

Mom: "I meant eyes- kannu" (point at my eyes)

Firstborn: "kaathu, kannu, mookku and kaalu is so much easier in Tamil"

(We start over again)

Mom: "appa, amma, mathava, krishna" (me thinking, krishna - as he's a baby)

Firstborn: "Amma! As we're all boys, you're a girl and we're all tall, you're short"

Now that too is short-listed!

Indian Music and Dance Festival 2010

Unity in Diversity : March 14, 2010

IHOP: National Pancake Day Celebration

Join IHOP to celebrate National Pancake Day on Tuesday, February 23, 2010.

From 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., they'll give you one free short stack (three) of IHOP's famous buttermilk pancakes.

All And they request you to consider making a donation to support local children's hospitals through Children's Miracle Network, or other local charities.

Read more at :

http://www.ihoppancakeday.com/pancake-day-details.html

KOOZA: Cirque du Soleil's Latest Show

Cirque du Soleil moves its Grand Chapiteau to San Diego for the innovative circus troupe's newest show, KOOZA. There's a reason everyone's talking about this show; the combination of acrobatic performance and clowning, slapstick and gravity-defying feats keeps the whole family entertained. They promise you'll see things you've never seen before!

As far as little ones go, there is nothing scarier in this show than ominous music (close to the beginning) and people who look like they're about to fall (but never really do).

Date: 02/25/10 - 03/21/10

Time: Tue-Fri 8pm; Sat 4pm & 8pm; Sun 1pm & 5pm

Venue: Del Mar Fairgrounds, Del Mar

Cost: Adults $40-$250; Children $28-$175; Parking $9

Carnival in Mira Mesa

Join families and friends at a carnival at the Mira Mesa High School where everyone is having a great time.

Attractions include traditional carnival rides and games for all ages, snacks, and a computer portrait novelty booth.

Date: February 19, 20, 21(Fri-Sun)

Time: 5:00 pm - 11:00 pm

Location: Mira Mesa High School (10510 Reagan Rd.)

Admission: $1.50 (age 7 & older) ~ FREE (child age 6 & younger)

Rice Sale

Bhavani Krishnan , owner of Vignesh Foods and a San Diego resident, has rice bags on sale.


Chinni Ponni Raw Rice (20 lb) - Approx 20 bags available

Indian Store price= $29.99
Bhavani's price: $25

Tilda Basmathi Rice (10lb) - Approx 8 bags available

Indian Store price= $16.99
Bhavani's price: $12


Bhavani can be reached at : (858) 775 7870 - vigneshfoods@yahoo.com

My Child & I

Second-born shows signs of a temperature.

Dad to Mom: " Let's try giving him some Tylenol"

Firstborn: "Tylenol! Yummmy!"

Dad: "Yummy? Shall we have it for dinner then?"

Firstborn: "I'd love that!"

Dad: (Quizzically) "What is Tylenol, do you know?"

Firstborn: (matter-of-fact voice) "It's a sweet drink with juicy flavor, which we drink at night"

My Child & I

Firstborn is all set to sleep, with dad just finishing up the bed time story .

In a little while starts whimpering

"I can't take it ..."

"What is it, Kanna?"

"I can't take it in anymore..."

(Dad is concerned) "Is something paining?"

"No, Appa! Its the air, I can't take it in anymore..."

"Oh, you are not able to breath?"

"Yeah, that's it..."

Turns out he had a little nasal-blockage and needed some Vicks Vapo-rub.

Now, he's able to take it in!

San Diego Services # 3- Vignesh Foods: South Indian Catering

He(a)re's what owner/chef Bhavani Krishnan has to say about her services.

"The traditional South Indian food comprises of several lip smacking vegetarian dishes that are delicious to relish. Upholding the rich art and culture of South India, Vignesh Foods offers great palatable food with great enthusiasm. With our focus on freshness, exceptional quality, and innovation, our dishes and batters (Idli, Dosa, Uthapam and Adai ) are preservative-free and made fresh on order. We cater authentic and traditional South Indian Cuisine for weddings, upanayanams, seemanthams and other traditional events as well as company events and picnics. Each dish is made to suite every family event, festival or occasion.

Our prices are reasonable and our food is made from the freshest ingredients. We are partnered with a company that handles events of Olympic scale (literally! They are at Vancouver now) and are very confident that we can handle yours as easily.

Contact us to discuss special catering menu. We can make your event that much more special."

On popular demand: The company would soon start making/distributing rotis on pre-order basis .

Contact: Bhavani Krishnan - (858) 775 7870 - vigneshfoods@yahoo.com

My personal note to Food lovers: Have tasted the food catered by Bhavani at the SDTS Diwali and Pongal celebrations- can vouch its tasty, cooked neatly and presented orderly.

Name that baby... well!

Came across an interesting way some folks named their baby.

By taking the first-letters of names of the parents:

Mark + Elizabeth= Melissa

Unni + Maha = Uma

Or one half of each parents' name:

Robert + Vibha = Rovik

Sitha + Vasudeva = Siva

Makes me wonder how Ice Cube got/chose his name?

Was keeping me fingers crossed about Shreen and Kala naming their child, would it be Shreekand (which is more a sweet's name rather than a sweet name)
Well, bless their hearts (and mine), they settled for Shreekar.

Now, I have my fingers crossed on what Sonam and Dakshin would be naming theirs?

Pet (ty) Sentiments

Over the years have known many who believe, follow as a rule, habit something which makes them feel good, balanced or gives comfort.

Here area a few interesting ones:

1) Eats his fortune cookie only if the "fortune" was a good one

2) Wears the same jeans to all exams

3) Always carries a watch in his pocket/ never wears it

4) Wears a new accessory/outfit on 12th of each month

5) Opts for his telephone numbers to add up to 7

6) Loves all by-products of milk but hates Milk

To round off the list here's mine:

Climbing down staircases gives me the creeps!

ThaiPoosam at Shri Mandir

Thai Poosam Vizha at Shri Mandir is scheduled on 14 Feb 10 (Sunday) 9:00 am onwards.

Agenda:

9.00 - 9:45 am Paalsombu Voorvalam
9.45 – 10:45 am Special Event: Sankalpam, Kalasa Pooja & Abishekam
10:45 – 11.15 am Mulavar Alangkaram.- Shasti song, Murugar Potri
11:15 – 12:00 noon Thirukkalyanam
12:00 – 12:20 pm Their Voorvalam inside the temple
12:20 – 12:50 pm Cultural Program (Devotional Songs)
12.50 – 1:00 pm Archana
1.00 – 1:15 pm Everyone Arathi to Swami Murugar
1:15 pm Mahaprasadam

To help with food preparation, please call
Selvi Srinivasan (858) 487 4538

To help with flower decoration, please call
Beena Senthil (760) 798 1859
Sasikala Kottalam (760) 471 2470

For abishekam, thirukkalyanam sponsorship and other information:
Shri Mandir (858)-566-5664
Panneer Selvam (858)-231-3588
Sampath Angappan (760)-438-3190

My Child & I

Firstborn is eating lunch-Mom is lingering near the dining table reading a book.

"Amma, Can you go away?"

(startled) "Why Kanna?"

"Because your shadow is making my food dark and am not able to see it"

(relieved) "Of Course, sure then".

Special Screening of Sesame's Families Stand Together

KPBS & Escondido Children's Museum

Free family fun including screenings of a new Sesame film, activity booths, Clifford and live performances!

Date: 02/06/2010 from 9:00am to 3:30pm
Ages: 2 and up Admission Fees: FREE!
Special Instructions: RSVP at www.kpbs.org/familiesstandtogether
Venue: California Center for the Arts, , 340 North Escondido Boulevard, Escondido

Is your family stressing out over today's economy? Well Sesame Street can help! Join KPBS and the Escondido Children's Museum at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido for a special screening of Sesame Street's Families Stand Together. Plus financial journalist, George Chamberlin, Clifford the Big Red Dog and the Jumpitz! Discover money saving ideas and tour the activity booths starting at 9 am!

Family Swapmeet

Parent Connection Family Swap Meet - this is a can't miss regarding great deals on children's gear...at amazing prices!

Families with infants, young children & parents with a baby on the way will find something special at The Family Swap Meet.

Sunday, April 18

9:00am - 1:00pm

Canyon Crest Academy in Carmel Valley

5951 Village Center Loop Road

San Diego, CA 92130

Admission is $2 per person (under 12 years old free). No pre-registration is required for attendees.

For any questions, please send an email to info@sandiegopa