No bigger joy than making someone smile

Sangeeta joined us as our domestic help last year. A widow and a single mother, her whole life revolves around her 6 year old daughter, Gauri. Like a typical Indian mother, she sacrifices her comforts to give the best possible to her daughter. However, with poverty and soaring prices playing spoilsport, all she can manage is her daughter's school fee and basic necessities.

Gauri often accompanied her mother to our house as she loves to play with my 4 month old baby. A very bright kid, she is every mother's pride.

However, a child is a child. Few days back, when Gauri came to our house, she wasn't her usual bubbly self. Instead, she wore a rather sad look in her face. I asked her mother if all was well. A worried Sangeeta told me Gauri's birthday was approaching and like any other kid, Gauri too, wanted to have her own birthday party. "Tell me Memsaab, I can barely manage 3 square meals, how will I fulfill this tough wish?"

Somehow that evening I just couldn't get Gauri's sad face away from my mind. Every child has a right to happiness, and I really wanted to do something special for her.

The next day, I asked Sangeeta to invite Gauri's friends to my house on her birthday. "But memsaab, aap kaise..." Sangeeta hesitatingly said and I immediately told her to stop being so curious if she wants to see a big smile on her daughter's face.

Now, it was my time to get going and organising Gauri's little birthday party!

Since, my objective was to make Gauri feel special and bring a smile on her face, I ordered this smiley cake for her

Also ordered this pretty frock for the birthday girl!

I decided to prepare McCain smileys for the kids since I was sure the kids would love the taste and the Smiley would immediately bring a smile on their faces! McCain smileys are delicious mashed potatoes, seasoned and shaped into happy faces. The smileys also offer the following advantages -

Goodness of Potato

Cholesterol and trans fat free

Ready in three minutes

Goodness of potato

Pre cooked in pure vegetable oil

Since I was preparing for kids, nutritional aspect could not be ignored.

Energy	209.27 Kcal
Total Fat	8.31 g
Saturated Fatty Acids	3.93 g
Monounsaturated Fatty Acids	2.15 g
Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids	2.23 g
Trans Fatty Acids	0 g
Protein	4.72 g
Total Carbohydrate	28.90 g
Sugar	0.32 g
Cholesterol	0 mg
	approximate values*

All I had to do was to preheat oil and deep fry the smileys for about 3 minutes and bingo! We were all set for the party!

On the designated day, Sangeeta brought Gauri and 3 of her friends to our house. The girls were initially hesitant however, were soon enjoying the yummy food and music! 

As I gifted the frock to Gauri, she was all smiles while her mother, had tears of happiness!

While we all do things that makes us happy, doing something to bring a smile on someone's face is a joy much more fulfilling! 

Thanks to McCain, I could manage to make a 6 year old feel so special and bring that million dollar smile on her face!

Smiles double when we share

Happiness doubles when we care

One should also think of the others, once in a while

There's no bigger joy than making someone smile!

About McCain

McCain Foods (India) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of McCain Foods Limited in Canada. Since 1998, McCain has been engaged in agriculture R&D and in development of frozen food market in India and subcontinent countries. McCain products are used by leading fast food chains, hotels, restaurants, catering companies and are popular for in-home consumption.

I am writing for the Let's put a smile on that face by Indiblogger and mccainindia

The joy of togetherness

While technology has enabled us to connect easily with each other, the same technology takes us away from our loved ones. The human touch is replaced by the tap on our smart phones. During my childhood, when mobile technology had not come into our lives, real togetherness flowed in our lives. The day began with the younger members of the family taking blessings from elders while evenings saw the whole family enjoying TV together. People greeted each other when they went out and children enjoyed games together. People shared moments of joy and sadness and even though resources were limited, the joy of togetherness overpowered the limited resources.

Life has undergone a sea change since then.

Mornings begin, not by greeting each other but by checking our mails and social media accounts on our smart phones. Breakfast table sees us glued to our smartphones in our self created silos. Once people used to ask each other's well being when they faces each other in office. However, now, office elevator too sees us hiding behind our smartphone screens, avoiding the effort of a friendly conversation. What if someone calls to us, we have headphones that ensure we only listen what WE want! Being in touch with old friends now is limited to Facebook likes and checking their timeline updates. While earlier, evenings saw the whole family crowded in front of the television, now every member of the family is glued to his/her smartphone or TV in his/her respective room. Kids too prefer connecting with their buddies on social media even if that friend stays nearby.

And then, we say we are connected!

Is this life of living in silos fulfilling? No, for this is evident by the rising cases of stress induced diseases. Obesity among kids is on the rise. Doctors blame a sedentary lifestyle for all this. We have learnt how to stay connected but have lost the real connection with the real world. People look for online buddies while a prospective good friend is sitting next to them. I remember as a kid when we used to go on our annual vacations, kids in trains used to interact...in have made few nice friends like that. However now you will see almost all kids toying around with their parents' smartphones.

What is real togetherness then?

Real togetherness is doing away with virtual connections and opting to spend quality time together instead. Research says doing activities we like together is therapeutic and increases our happiness quotient like nothing us. Spending quality time with friends and family also ensures we have people to share joys and also to get moral support in times of sadness.

Watch this excellent video which shows how real togetherness brings real joy that no virtual means cannot.

Visit http://www.kissanpur.com and discover the joy of real togetherness!

Fun, friends & freedom from Frizz!

On a Monday morning, this is the feeling of most girls admiring their freshly shampooed hair in front of the mirror -

"Mirror mirror on the wall,

Who has the best hair of them all"

However, by the time the calendar hits Friday, the same girl stands in front of the mirror in frustration, cribbing at the havoc played by pollution, stress and sweat -

"Mirror mirror on the wall,

Can someone manage this frizz after all"

I am one of these girls. The week begins with me admiring my smooth hair and Friday evenings see me tying my hair to save a bad hair day.

Add to this, pregnancy. As far as hair are concerned, pregnancy is the best phase of a woman's life, when hair decide to stay and give us moral support. However, soon after delivery the hair start bidding adieu. 

Soon after my son was born, I faced the problem of Frizzy hair and tremendous hair fall. While a quick Google search gave me many elaborate home remedies waiting to be tried, managing the baby hardly gave me anytime to try even one.

Few days ago, when I received an invite for the Dabur Vatika #FrizzFreeHair meet, I was all excited to find a solution to my hair problems. This was also my first IB meet after moving to Mumbai and I was superrr excited to meet team indi and make some new blogger friends! Another reason for excitement was that this also gave me to increase my saree count for my 100sareepact! The dress code was green and the only thing green I was looking good in post delivery was a lovely green saree!

Thanks to my baby's cranky mood and Mumbai traffic, I ended up reaching the venue late and missed the band's performance I was so eager to witness. As i entered the hall, i saw many people in black suits and got a bit puzzled if this was the right event. However, I later came to know they were students of NMIMS who were here to learn about product launch. Vineet welcomed me with a warm smile at the entrance asking me to quickly register as the event was already on!

As my eyes searched for a vacant seat, Priyanka waived at me and I took a sigh of relief! 

We were all excited to know about the product we were here for - Dabur Vatika non sticky Jasmine oil, that promised to make our hair Frizzy to fantastic!

Soon team Dabur took over the centre stage and introduced us to the brand and product. Most of us were surprised to know that Dabur hair oil has been nourishing the hair of millions of women for the past 75 years!

The info session began covered everything from the definition of Frizz to how Dabur Non Sticky Jasmine oil with its Silicone Oils helps fight Frizz. Soon the product was unveiled and everybody got so excited to get the perfect pose with the oil!

The session was followed by a round of hair care tips where many women shared their tried and tested recipe for hair care!

An indi meet is incomplete without the game and so the game of the day was - Rock, paper, Scizzor...Amidst a lot of fun, laughter and confusion, the game finally saw its winners while the losers had their hair messed up! 

But why to fear messy hair when the event is for a hair oil? We were pampered with a relaxing champi and a cool hairstyle at the Champi counter!

The meet also introduced me to these lovely ladies, better known as my BFFs -

Gauri @ http://survivaloftheoptimist.blogspot.in

Shalini @ http://baketitude.blogspot.in

Priyanka @ http://www.writersmelon.com

Along with Sujata Tawde and Manisha

Finally it was time to gorge on the sumptuous food. The ladies enjoyed the food amidst chatter and headed home.

The excitement was not yet over. As I opened my goody bag, my eyes widened in excitement to spot a wonderful Philips Hair Straightener! I knew that Dabur meant what they said when they mentioned "Hum Samajhtey Hain Aapke Balon ko!"

My living room’s makeover with Bed, bath and beyond

Ever since hubby and I moved into our own pad, we had wanted to design it according to our own taste and personality. The flat, like most ready to move houses had plain cream walls which more often than not, made me feel very dull and old. We wanted to have a youthful appeal to our living room, since our house was always buzzing with friends and parties. However, as soon as the thought of a makeover would come to my mind, I would start fretting about so many things.

• Who would do the run around to shop for the right shades of paint, home décor items (we both have pretty hectic jobs in Mumbai)
• Since we had recently relocated, we hardly knew any local guy who could do the painting job for us. Without fleecing us!
• I would often visualise the kind of space I wanted – lively, youthful and refreshing. However, after a hectic day in office I would be often, too tired to decide the entire look in my mind.

Few days ago, I discovered the all in one solution to my makeover concerns –

http://www.bedbathmore.com/

The more I discovered the website, the more it seemed my living room’s makeover would be a reality soon.

http://www.bedbathmore.com/ is one stop solution to all your décor concerns.

Ideas, expert advice, paints, décor, furniture – the site offered everything at one place!

I soon got glued with their décor district and began to read the numerous articles on how to give a perfect makeover to your house.

Once I was done, it was time for some action. I chose the theme lemon cooler for my living room, since I was looking for a refreshing and youthful appeal. Finding the perfect shade was easy since the theme automatically offered the shades close to the look I wanted!

I quickly went to the paint finder tool and after selecting the shade, tried few looks for my living room.

To my surprise, the tool not only helped me select the perfect shade and preview the look, it also helped me calculate the approximate costing, offered product comparisons and….also offered to find a local professional to convert your dream look into reality! Wow! Was I dreaming? No!

So, what are you waiting for? Come to http://www.bedbathmore.com/ and find all your décor solutions at one go!

 I am participating in the #PaintFinder activity in Association withBlogAdda & Bed Bath & More“

Airtel 4G!

Blogger, wife, mom, sister, daughter, working woman - my life is a daily juggle of various acts. When one has to manage so many aspects simultaneously, being a smart worker is the mantra. Hence, my smartphone and internet is my life saver.

Like they say for diamonds, look at the 3 Cs, for internet the major aspect one looks at is SPEED. No swanky internet plan is useful if it cannot offer faster downloads. I still remember, when the gift of mobile internet first came into my hands, all I could do was to browse webpages on my phone. With technology my usage too, notched few levels high.

Mobile internet today is my lifeline today and I can’t imagine a productive day when I have no access to internet. However, poor internet speed often is a turn off. How I craved for an internet that could offer me faster speed without affecting my budget!

In comes Airtel 4G – The fastest network ever! With promise of fastest downloads it surely had me enticed.

I am an Airtel customer for the past 15 years and swear by the excellent network. Now I was wondering, how to make my connection 4G?

Its simple…Airtel 4G Sim card is just a tweet away! All one has to do is to tweet #GetAirtel4G and your 4G sim will be delivered to your home free of cost!

I was all excited and immediately started imagining what I could do with my Airtel 4G!

Picture this –

·         Before my paperwalla throws tantrums at my request to deliver paper early, my mobile internet becomes my morning tea buddy, updating me on the latest news.

·         As I get ready to wake up little S for feed, I browse through my parenting apps to read tip of the day.

·         My experiments in kitchen go successful thanks to the various video recipes I view online, for I can view various ways to get the dish just right.

·         Then, it’s time to connect with my friends on social media platforms.

·         I am a blogger on the go and the moment an idea pops up, I wanna blog about it right there and then.

·         Since I am new to the city, commuting is more about navigating than my driving skills. With the fast 4G network, I can ensure a fast navigation and distraction free driving

·         I am a movie buff however, always avoided downloading movies on my phone due to poor download speed. With Airtel 4G, I can get fastest movie and video downloads and can watch movies anywhere, anytime!

“Wow! This is like a dream come true!” I exclaimed and immediately wondered, “But it must be coming at a premium price”

The answer is NO. Airtel 4G comes at the price of 3G! Yipppeee!

Now I know just like me, you too would be eager to get your Airtel 4G!

So, what are you waiting for! Get your Airtel 4G!

Mummy knows best!

Having been recently blessed with a baby, I can say that motherhood is one of the best gifts a woman gets from nature. The feeling of holding your little bundle of joy is more precious than any precious thing in the world!

However, I have also realized that with the power of motherhood also comes a great responsibility. Even before the child opens his/her eyes in the world, the mother has to ensure all goes well. I have never been as careful with myself as have been during my pregnancy – be it with respect to food or movement etc. And that very moment when our angel is handed over to us in the delivery room, the feeling of responsibility increases manifold, for here is a little one totally dependent on the mother.

As a mother, I want everything best for my kid. And the research to get that actually began even before my little one was born. The internet was my key to finding out what was the best for my kid and I checked out any and every article about caring for a newborn.

One such concern was choosing the right massage oil for my baby. I have seen many friends use fancy baby oils to massage their kids. However, I have always believed on using natural products, so I wanted to ensure I know exactly what I was using for my little one and what are the advantages and side effects. During my research to find the perfect massage oil for my little one, I zeroed down on these oils which are natural and safe for babies –

·         Coconut Oil – A friend of mine has been using coconut oil to massage her kid and recommended the same to me. Coconut oil is a great way to keep the skin moisturized

·         Olive Oil – Olive Oil is very light, non sticky and provides essential nourishment to the baby’s skin. Since babies have very sensitive skin, it is very important to keep the skin nourished

·         Almond oil – During winters, I swear by Almond oil for my skin as it’s a great way to protect and nourish the skin during winters. Almond oil is known to provide essential moisture to the baby’s skin, making it soft and supple

While the research to find the right oils wasn’t a hard nut to crack, the main dilemma was – only one type of oil could be used at a time. So, how could I combine the goodness of the right oils for my baby?

I soon found the solution to my dilemma in Dabur baby massage oil! Dabur Baby Massage Oil is a unique blend of premium natural oils like - Olive & Almond which provide the baby the required nourishment. My concern to avoid artificial additives was also addressed, for Dabur Baby does not encourage the use of any form of artificial colours, paraffins, and parabens. Dabur Baby as a Brand focuses exclusively on products developed using natural ingredients, which are safe and provide nourishment to babies. These products have been created through extensive research by understanding the essential need for babies tenderly skin and hair.

I have been using Dabur Baby oil for my little one and I swear by the many advantages the oil offers –

·         Goodness of natural oils like Olive Oil and Almond Oil

·         Olive provides nourishment to the baby’s skin

·         Almond gently moisturizes baby's delicate skin making it soft and supple.

·         Paraffin free

·         No artificial colours

·         Dermatologically tested

·         Regular massaging helps strengthen bones and muscles.

·         Attractive and playful product pack helps engage the baby while massaging.

Thanks to Dabur Baby, I am a tension free mom when it comes to the right massage oil for my kid. Goodness of natural oils without harmful ingredients, Dabur helps me give the best to my baby.

 I am participating in the #FirstLove activity at BlogAdda in association withDabur

The many wonders of a honey diet!

First job after college opens windows to a whole new world! New office, new friends, revamped wardrobe and not to forget…one’s own money! I still remember how excited I used to be to go to office every day, like a kid who has just joined school.  Work was all about friends, fun & partying! Working for an American MNC prior to the recession phase meant a whole lot of pampering & I totally loved it! There were frequent parties, team outings; sponsored lunches, cakes for every occasion, impromptu chocolate hampers…life had become a party!

Life was a bed of roses till the thorns began to make appearance. A few months down the line, the Pizzas, burgers, late night partying, extended work hours and erratic lifestyle began to show on my waistline. While winters were all fun with overcoats and layered dressing, once summer knocked on the door, my denims were the first one to ditch me. I was no longer fitting in my denims and other clothes too joined the revolt. Still in the denial mode, I went shopping however, one look in the over sized clothes and I just hated myself in the mirror. I would look awful in the parties, I panicked.

And so, in the panic mode, I did what most youngsters of my age were doing – going on a fad diet. I had received a forward mail on fad diets and a friend too had mentioned how a friend of hers lost 10Kg in 2 months by going on a fad diet. Looking for a quick fix, I chose one of the fad diets and without consulting any dietitian, forced it on my body.

I somehow managed the first 2 days of the diet with my enthusiasm however, the third day saw my body crumbling in to the after effects of a crash diet - I was feeling weak, lethargic, irritable and couldn’t just focus on work. I had a sweet tooth and was gobbling up 2 pastries and many cookies a day. But the diet instructed me to go completely off sugar! The next day I almost fainted near my workstation. That’s when a friend came as an angel. Her sister was a dietitian and she suggested I consult her before subjecting my body to random diets.

The rendezvous with her sister turned out to be an eye opener. After hearing my story, she attributed the sorry state of affairs to an unhealthy lifestyle. She told me these fashionable crash diets were no permanent solution to my problem. In fact they deprived the body of essential nutrients which had a damaging effect on the body in the long run.

After asking few basic questions, she made me a diet chart and suggested the following  steps to a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle–

·         No skipping meals as this damages the body by depriving the body of essential nutrients. Instead, she suggested small, frequent meals.

·         A balanced diet as per my body type ensured my body got the required dose of calories and nutrients to go about the daily processes.

·         Lots of water and juices and a total no to aerated drinks

·         40 min of walk and light exercises everyday

·         Early to bed, early to rise

I had told her I had a real sweet tooth, she asked me to stay away from refined flour and sugar. Since it wasn’t easy to completely go off sweet temptations, she suggested Sweeter Alternative – Honey! She suggested I begin my day with a spoon of honey and warm water as it would help flush the toxins from my body. I had always thought honey to be just another sweetener, however was pleasantly surprised how just a teaspoon of honey a day brings the following benefits –

·         Weight management: A Spoon of honey taken with warm water in the morning is traditionally known to be useful in weight management.

·         Sugar substitute: Honey is a healthier substitute to sugar when looking to reduce weight as it has lesser calories than sugar and contains vitamins, minerals and antioxidants which are good for health.

·         Source of energy: Honey is known to be a good source of energy as its natural sugar and carbohydrates are easily digested by the body.

·         Aids Digestion: Honey when used in your diet is known to aid in digestion.

·         Cough and cold: Honey is known to help in cough and throat irritation.

·         Beautiful Skin: Honey is known to be useful for the skin because of its moisturizing and nourishing properties.  

Over a period of few months, I realized the focus from fad to fit did begin to show its results as my old clothes were again friends with me. While balanced diet and exercise definitely are a part of my life now, I also swear by the morning spoon of honey with warm water. I use honey to substitute processed sugar in many of my recipes and enjoy the many benefits of a honey diet!

You can visit the Dabur Honeypage to know more about how a Honey Diet can help you maintain a healthy lifestyle. Also don’t forget to check out the honey recipes.

Source - Indiblogger

Surf fast with UC Browser

Whenever there’s a cricket match happening in India, the mantra of all Indians becomes “eat cricket, sleep cricket, live cricket”.  Such is the obsession for the game in people that on the days of important matches with strong competitors, one finds deserted roads, sudden rise in the rate of sick leaves in offices and electronic shops flooded with people glued to the game on display TV sets.

While some like to enjoy the game with friends and beer at their favourite restaurant, others like to sit in the comfort of their homes and enjoy the game with hot chai and pakodas. I recall as a kid, world cup and India Pak matches used to be like festivals in our house, with all family members seated together and enjoying the match. Sometimes, I used to feel bad for mom, as even though we used to ask her to complete her kitchen chores during break, she used to sacrifice her share of the match often, to ensure we get hot meal ready during the lunch break.

With our schedules tightening day by day, people are opting for various alternatives to ensure they don’t miss on the game as well as important tasks. During this world cup, my office had organised a special screening in the cafeteria for employees. Many restaurants have special cricket menus and offers to cash on the cricket frenzy.

However, not always is it possible to tweak our schedules and take time out to view a full match. It is here that technology plays the friend in need. Many apps come to our rescue and we can get match updates no matter where we are. While technology has made our lives easier, the very same technology has also contributed to immense confusion too. With a plethora of apps floating on web, it is very confusing for the customer to take his pick. Over the years, I have been trying various browsers and apps; the main problem I face is of the browser speed. Like politicians, many apps and browsers promise smooth and buffer free experience. However, one download later one realises they are all the same.

Amidst the many available browsers, I recently came across UC Browser. Promising a fast surf, UC delivers what it promises. Available for Android, Ios, Windows interfaces, the following are some advantages UC Browser has to offer –

·         Fast Downloads

Enjoy high speed downloads with a resume option when interrupted and a smart file manager.

·         Cloud Sync

Seamlessly switch between UC Browser across your devices by syncing your open tabs and bookmarks.

·         Fun & Easy to Use

Customizable speed dials, themes and add-ons, plus unique and user-friendly features make your browsing easier and fun!

·         Data Compression

Save data and boost your browsing speed with our improved data compression technology.

·         Video downloader

Download videos with just one click.

What’s more, for the cricket crazy people, there is a dedicated space “UC Cricket”. Offering best cricket service including live scores and latest news, UC Cricket ensures the cricket fans remain connected to the game wherever they are.

I remember days when frustrated with the slow speed of other browsers and apps, I had to retort to the plain old Google search to get match updates. However, with the amazing UC Cricket, there is no need to Google anymore.

Here are some features which make UC Cricket score the brownie points over others -

·         Fast speed

·         Live scores with auto update

·         Fixture and result

·         Latest News

·         Videos

Getting your UC Cricket is easy at the swipe from your smartphone. All you need to do is Open UC Browser, go to the homescreen and Find UC Cricket with the blue icon.

So, no need to sacrifice on the game when UC Browser is here!

Surf with UC, Surf it fast,

Enjoy the game anywhere,

Have a blast!

Check out the UC browser and UC Cricket page and download the browser now! You can also read the FAQs here. Watch the UC Browser video with the amazing Yuvraj Singh telling how UC Browser helps him stay connected with the world on the go!

The explosion of freshness

There is a very famous saying –

Live like there’s no tomorrow,

Dance like no one’s watching!

In the daily rut of life, we often get into the auto mode. Life goes on but we just don’t feel the zing. Mornings signal the beginning of yet another round of routine activities and once we are back home, evenings remind us of yet another day spent just like that. Even if everything goes well without any deviation from the routine, gradually it takes away the freshness from our lives and dullness sets in.

Music has the power to heal the worst of the pains. It transforms us into a different world altogether, taking away the dullness and infusing freshness.

There are days on which I too get bogged down by the pendulum life between work and home. On such days music is my saviour. A good shower followed by a cup of cardamom tea and good music gets me into the grove. A couple of peppy numbers later, the elated me just lets myself free and I dance like no one’s watching; just like childhood when I would play my favourite tracks and dance for hours. After a good singing and dancing session, I am totally energized. The same boring day feels so beautiful, for music helps us listen to our inner voice and spend some quality “me” time.

I recently came across the “Taazgi Ka Dhamaka” video featuring Allu Arjun and Anushka Manchanda. Directed by the famous Pradeep Sarkar, the video truly is a dhamaka or explosion of freshness. The lovely Anushka brings a doze of freshness in an otherwise boring marriage. Good music is infectious. Soon, Allu too is forced to jump out of bed. After a quick doze of freshness with Colgate Max Fresh, Allu is all awake and ready to join the fun!

The choreography is natural, and watching the video I couldn’t help but appreciate these steps that so much relate to me when I too get in my groove...

While this step is not really what I would do, it reminds me of guys dancing uninhibited in weddings…when the sound of excitement in their hearts is more than a thousand musical instruments!

Now this is a must do step when you are dancing like no one’s watching. The bride sheds her inhibitions and joins in the celebrations.

The typical yo yo rapper step, I love the confidence and attitude Anushka displays here. Wear your attitude is the feel…

And sometimes, it’s good to break the rules and do a round of break dance! Just like Allu gets the whole crowd cheering with his cool moves!

And in true Rajani style, Allu flicks the taazgi ka dhamaka!

So, if you too are looking for a dose of freshness in your life, get your dancing shoes on!

The blog post should contain the mandatory code “I am blogging for #MaxFreshMove activity atBlogAdda in association with Colgate MaxFresh. Watch the Taazgi Ka Dhamaal video and enjoy the fresh moves!