today we had a gathering of homeschoolers come over to our home for some deepavali activities.

-1st here were 8, then there were 10. then there were 12, and finally there were 18 kids big and samll who joined us some time in the day for the fun! and with mums and dads and other relatives thrown in, another 16adults ended up going through my and granny's house combined. now that was unexpected! but it turned out perfectly...thankfully! ;D here's a little of what the day held for all of us...

-upon arrival, the kids sat patiently and made rangoli designs with coloured rice stuck onto paper plates.(nice to see e mums join in too! what delicate handiwork u produce! :))  and the kids surprised me with their patience... one young boy in particular... he seemed slightly overwhelmed at the start, and told me shortly that he'd had enuff. but then i noticed that he quietly chose to continue... and halfway through, he insistingly informed me that now he 'really wanted' to finish it... and cd cd i pls guide him there.  what a change in perception.... 

-while waiting to move between activities, the kids dug into some sweet and savoury indian snacks and drinks. (the murrukku was very popular. and i had some delicious turkish delight which i'd spotted in mustafa. it dissappeared from the bowl like magic! kay complained that she loved it so much but never even got a 2nd taste today ;) ...a good reason for me to go and buy some more! :))

-the other work-space was in the kitchen. there they flipped through some henna designs, made their selections, and had e patterns painted onto their hands and feet. thks to e special mums who helped to add yr creative flair, and bravo to those kids who managed on their own!!!  :b

-once they were adorned, they proceed to e kids bedrooms, (girls one side and boys the other)...to go and try on some different clothes in traditional punjabi style. another mummy was 'wardrobe assistant', helping e girls to do up zippers, tie ties, and get them out of too-tight belly-bearing tops when they'd got stuck! :) 

the boys were in their own private world. clothes remained on the bed... where else shd they be?... while out came e cars and motorbikes and tracks and other boys' toys. i was impressed that they managed to busy themselves quietly for so long...  5 minutes before we were to leave, i peered in, gave the signal, and they all magically emerged on time, and truly handsome in their indian finery.  

i'd taken out my punjabi suits for the mums to try on if they chose...including one from my wedding.  one mum emerged resplendent... the royal blue brocadedwaistcoat looked magnificent on her.  i was so glad to see it used again after all these years... as it's considerably too tight for me by now! (so now it's got itself a second life.) u did it proud, mummy-dear!  i think perhaps it was made for u. ;)

-i bundled myself into a scarlet suit and some golden bangles just as e rest were getting ready to leave. i'd painted my henna the night b4, so one less job to do ;) 

at that point my dh came through the door, greeted by a home full of familiar and unfamiliar faces. good timing on his part too... cos 3 seconds before, kynan had come running in his underpants through the house to get to me in my bedroom...clutching at his mouth in pain. another kid broke the news on his behalf.  "he'd knocked his tooth out while getting dressed."

it was his 1st and he wasnt too happy abt it!  it hurt a whole lot more than he'd expected. "did u swallow it?" i asked...  head shaking still holding mouth and rubbing at eyes... i guess that's a 'no'?  phew, luck was on his side... the tooth fairy mt still be able to pay him a visit! ;)  a few moments later, the grinning explainer' comes running back in, this time bearing the tiny tooth in his hand.

after promises of an ice lolly later, ky finally gets himself together enough to get dressed and we meet the entourage, patiently waiting outside the front door.  mmm, what's an event without a bit of drama thrown in? ;b  it certainly will make this night memorable in more ways than one!

-as we leave, i notice my dh calmly reach to start tidying up. tq my dear! after a long day at work i know this probably isnt wholly what you'd like to come home to. tq so much! tq for helping me and bearing with my quirkynesses...

-we walked to dadima's (granny's-) house and arrived there ard 6.30+pm, abt 15-20min's later than i'd planned...but well u cant hurry e young ladies when it comes to dolling up their hands and feet for the occasion! and not-forgetting e drama of knocked out teeth!  apologies to those mummies who arrived late... did it seem like i was chasing u out the door?... i wish we had more time... i noticed one of u had just started on a beautiful butterfly rangoli. (u left it behind.)  i promise we shall finish it for u and give it pride of place in our home for a few months/ or mb a year or ten.  we walked along e roadside like a royal procession... 2 or 3 of the most excitable boys (along with a lovely little sister in hot pursuit) ran ahead, climbing up e slopes and running down again...all in their royal robes no less!.... what a sight!  it sure has left a lasting memory.... ah the sweet freedoms and joys of youth!

-dadima probably didnt know what was about to hit her when we came through the doors. her home exploded into a hubbub of lively chatter and shrieks and mayhem. e kids soon settled down with some juice and cake and treats. which kept them all happily quiet for a while... perfect timing to grab granny and get her to share abt the festival's cultural importance. my sil and i meanwhile scurried here and there topping up drinks glasses. tq my dear! and tq dadima for doing a wonderful job at teaching the youngest kiddies, to e oldest of us mums.

-light-up time was at 7pm sharp and the kids helped put the candles in their respective places. the older ones lit their own outside w one of their mums supervising, while e littlies brought light to the darkness of the balcony. even the youngest got a chance to hold e candle and see their little flame come to life. what a magical experience thatlit up their eyes and glowing faces.

-as we came in, granny had e curry on e heat, and took out e atta to start on the rotis. the kids sat to watch, and as they started getting a bit rowdy, i passed them each a ball of e stuff with some dry flour on a plate, and they set to making their own mini-rotis. this seemd to hold their attention for a long while. a bit like playing with playdough...just stickier and trickier! ;)  once they were all happy with their shapes, they lined them up to be cooked on the stove-top, then left to relax and  chit-chat and enjoy a few shrieks. :)

-mummies were comfy on the floor with kids nearby... a perfect time for a shiny-bright singalong. e kids picked up quickly and sang so nicely. an easy song that they cd all feel a part of... about letting their lights shine in their very own neighbourhoods and wherevr they go. by changing the words of a traditional song slightly, we were able to cut across religion, and come up with something meaningful for each one, no matter what the culture or creed.

-dinner was ready afterwards...e cutest mini-rotis served to e kiddies as they sat in a large circle... roti with ketchup and butter and chicken drumsticks. some were brave enuff to try e veggie curries too. all gave a big thumb-sup to granny's cooking! :b "veery good indian food" one of the mummies said. so good her dh enjoyed too!..."5 rotis!" mil said later... "never seen such before!... he realllly can enjoy!" ;b so she's invited him back anytime ;)

-when the last child finished eating, we all donned our shoes, picked up our candle-sticks, and headed out e door for a candlelit walk through the nearby gardens. we headed down the stairs to burn up some energy (and more imporatntly, to prevent them setting their friends' clothing and hair alight!)  they put their singing voices to good use once again as we made our way snaking along e pathways. some residents smiled as we passed. (an unusual night-scene in their locale ;))  our destination was e top of a hill, dark and lightless. we congregated there and sat briefly, ending our song and saying our farewells. it was poignant to see the cute faces, from e tiny tots to those on the brink of teenagehood, glowing in the light of their candles. the shadows and light made them seem so perfect in God's creation.  and when it came to blowing them out, they chose rather to let them shine on. e eldest lead the pack to blow out together, but ended up re-lighting his instead. :) even the tiny tot who sooo wanted to blow all e candles out at the start, completely didnt want to blow out his once the night had come to and end. there's something so beautiful and enchanting about fire... even the youngest kids unknowingly felt it.

-some of e mums and dads had left earlier. some stayed on for e walk. whatever the timing, sharing the day with them and the kids was wonderful.  it felt like no-one wanted to say goodbye. so after everything a few of us stopped momentarily at e foot of e block, perhaps willing the time to go on.. almost not wanting that feeling of joy and peace and universal love to stop... was it only me who felt this? my kids said they did too... just a very very special day.