The Ejaz's

We hide it well from the outside world; the insanity. I don't think it's any coincidence that I married a future psychiatrist (T minus 2 months, 3 days). We are weird.
When you're a family of 7 living in a small town you're bound to get a reputation. Luckily, the Ejaz children had it pretty good in the 'heads. If you happened to meet or know"An Ejaz" as we were referred to, you could assume that they were an A+ student, had never seen the inside of a detention room, participated in an assortment of extra-curricular activities and community service, and could talk about the benefits of hawthorn berries and B-12 in a diet. All-around good kids. This is the face we showed to the world. What happened behind the doors of our Oriole Dr. home was not what you would expect. We were nuts.
It started off innocent enough. We'd play together doing things I assume most other kids did. We'd play house and school. We'd build tents and forts out of blankets and the dining room chairs. We'd slide down the carpeted stairs in a sleeping bag (still super-fun). Kid stuff.
I'm not sure when things changed, but they did. We developed our own voice. It sounds kinda like a cross between a toddler and Elmo. After the voice came the language with words like "poosta" (pasta) and "ocher" (o.k.) Oh, there's more. We developed characters. In our world have "Cenupy" (the centipede), "Bobay" (the baby), "No-Name" (the one w/o a name), "James" (the grandma), "G-Per" (the grandpa), "Nonay" (the Nanny), and "Bobay Nal " (baby Neal). I won't go into who's who ,how these characters developed and their relationship to one another because, well, even I'm in amazement as to how crazy it really is.
Anyway, three of the kids are now in their twenties and the other two are teenagers. There is no end in sight. The following pictures really don't need any explanations. They're just a peek into what it really means to be "An Ejaz".

Sunny California

There’s nothing more I love than a vacation. I will forgo coffee, chocolate, and sparklies---uh, within reason of course, for sand and sun. Riz knows this which is why he scored major points when he surprised me with a trip to Southern California. More on that later.

I grew up in a house where vacations were tres important. I’m not sure it was ever a vacation for my parents with their 5 kids in tow, but they made it a point to take us somewhere every summer.

Some years we went all out, flying to Cancun, Puerto Rico, and the like. Some years we all piled in the mini-van and headed to Virginia or Myrtle Beach. It seems like we’d plan and prep all spring for these vacations. I vividly recall the week before the vacation being almost as wonderful as actually being there. This was the week when we went shopping with mom for all the essentials. We’d get new beach towels, flip-flops, and sunglasses. The planning got my mom in a great mood and she’d even spring for snacks like Pringles and General Mills variety pack cereal boxes. (If you know anything about my mom, you know how huge a deal this was for us kids.)

Everything was so exciting; the careful packing of the new bathing suit in my own pink and purple suitcase, my dad letting me be in charge of the family’s airline tickets, day-dreaming of becoming a flight attendant and thinking it the most glamorous job a girl could have….

When we got married, Riz joined in. After accepting most of our Brady Bunch eccentricities, this tradition I feel was pretty palatable. Our first vacation after our honeymoon was to a trip Acapulco. The following year we went to Barbados. The third year Riz informed me that his final med-school year wouldn’t allow for any vacation time...........

This was not ok. Med school, schmed school. I began to (not so subtly) hint at a vacation at least once a week. “Wow…it sure is cold…you know what would be great?”

Then one Sunday in January, Riz surprised me with a vacation to San Diego. My head starting spinning with millions of thoughts all of which he had already taken care of. Work had known for weeks. We’d flying back to Buffalo (we were in NYC), pack, and then fly out to San Diego. There was a list of beaches to see, places to eat, and where to find the best coffee. Impressive.

We had a terrific time.

Turned out I didn’t have to forgo coffee or chocolate.
In San Diego’s Gas Lamp District we visited the Ghirardelli Sundae Shop.

Between the two of us we couldn't finish this.

I also had my fill of sparklies

















A morning walk on Mission Beach

Hotel Coronado where Some Like it Hot was filmed (ah...the AP English "summer films" list)

Here's a house on Laguna Beach Riz and I were considering purchasing. Then we decided to pass. It was really a little small and the front yard was just full of sand.

Enjoying the view in Laguna

We took a day trip to L.A.

Riz had to drive three times around this busy Beverly Hills block for me to get this shot. It was totally worth the effort to present Sameena with a pic of her Blow Out idol's salon.

Sunset in La Jolla.


Like all good things, our time in the city where it seems it never rains was too short. Cheers to you, Pika, for pulling it off. This vacation is already one of my favorite memories and ranks right up there with Sour Cream Pringles.

Treat Yourself

With three cold/snow days in only the past two weeks, I've been feeling a little (ok, more than a little) drab. It seems my days have been just a series of efforts to avoid the weather. I'll be the first to admit that I'm vain but when it's this cold, even I stop caring. I've been all about my clunky, waterproof boots and "sleeping bag" coat. And in my determination to stay in my warm bed as long as possible each morning, beauty has taken a back-seat in a major way.

Last weekend I treated myself to an at-home facial. Besides leaving my Buffalo-beaten skin hydrated and super-smooth, I had to purchase very little. Most of the stuff you need you probably already have at home. It's pretty fabulous. Now only if I can find someone to do it for me next time...

CLEANSE. A warmed mixture of 1 to 2 tablespoons whole milk and several drops of olive oil is great for cleaning and soothing most types of dry skin: Milk gently removes dirt and makeup, and olive oil is an exceptional moisturizer. Wash your hands to avoid transferring bacteria or dirt, then warm the cleanser by working it between your palms. Gently massage it into your skin, distributing evenly using sweeping, circular movements. (This will also stimulate circulation.) Remove with warm water, splashing upward until you've flushed out the pores.
EXFOLIATE. Dead cells, which clog pores and flake, can make skin look dull and patchy. To concoct your own exfoliant: Mix 1/2 cup dry oatmeal, 3 tablespoons almond oil, 1 tablespoon finely ground sea salt (or cornmeal for more sensitive skin) and 1/4 teaspoon fresh mint with enough warm water to form a paste. Dampen your skin, then use gentle circular movements to apply the paste, avoiding the eye area. Rinse. Repeat only once or twice a month, and don't exfoliate if your skin is irritated or broken out.
TONE. An often overlooked but necessary step, toning removes cleanser residue and refreshes the skin. It also creates a base coat for your moisturizer, which is easier to work into damp skin. For a stimulating toner, mix one part witch hazel with two parts rose or orange-blossom water. Witch hazel's antiseptic properties combat blemishes without causing the skin to become dry or flaky; rose water stimulates circulation; and orange-blossom water helps balance the skin's pH. Using 100 percent cotton pads, sweep the solution across your face and neck until the cotton shows no residue. Remember to include the jawline, where breakouts are common.

STEAM. Steaming, which helps open pores, primes the skin for deep cleaning. In a large pot, boil 1 quart of distilled water. Next, infuse the water by wrapping fragrant herbs of your choice (chamomile, eucalyptus, lavender) in gauze or cheesecloth, lowering the heat, and placing the cloth in the pot for five minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and set it on a protected surface. Apply a light layer of almond or sesame oil to the face (this acts as a buffer, protecting your skin from the heat), then bend over the pot, tenting a clean towel over your head to catch the steam. (Be careful not to get too close.) Stay there five minutes, then pat dry.

MASK. Masks serve multiple purposes in a comprehensive facial: They deep-clean, stimulate circulation, remove dead skin and hydrate. Oily or blemished skin responds well to an application of a paste made of Fuller's Earth (clay) and mineral water. Avoid the eye area while applying and let the mask set until nearly dry. Then rinse thoroughly with warm water. To hydrate drier skin, use a mix of 1 egg yolk, 1 tablespoon honey and a few drops of safflower oil. Or, to get that firm Academy Awards texture (sans Botox), apply 2 egg whites to tighten pores, followed by an application of plain yogurt to brighten the complexion.

MASSAGE. To soothe the skin in the last phase of the facial, a moisturizer should be massaged into the skin. Put a generous amount on your hands and work them together to warm up the cream. Concentrate on areas where muscles are overworked: cheeks, mouth, forehead and around the eyes. Once the lotion is completely absorbed and it becomes more difficult for the fingertips to slip across the skin, blot off any excess with a tissue, and you're done.
Diana L. Carswell, washingtonpost.com