If my Dad was a politician

This is the new blogadda contest and now that I have jumped on to the literary wagon , I need to let my creative juices flow but as always I am typing this at the nth moment.Meanwhile , the baby and the Hubs are locked in a battle for the breakfast.... Any hoooo

The concept is plain and simple - How would my life be if my dad was a politician 

1. There would be a time for everything and everything in time - One of my Dad's most favorite sayings is that "Time and tide wait for none" and it has been drummed onto our heads so much so that I repeat this to my kiddo tooo. The crux of this saying is that , you cant spend all your time dithering and procrastinating like various politicians in our country .You have to take action or it'll be too late and the opportunity will be lost . He is an ex service man so he makes his decisions and sticks to them. You need to take decisive action when the situation demands. With such a leader , the youth of the country has a fine example.
2. Promises would be kept- We hear of promises galore from everyone but one needs to have the heart to fulfill them no matter what. Once , on the day of the golden quarterfinal , India vs Pakistan 1996 world cup , we were glued to the screen , My dad promised to take us out to Maurya Sheraton's coffee shop if we won. Our hearts beating and joyous , we won and Dad didn't squelch on the promise and did take us .I still remember that Jumbo chicken hot dog. Be it , the small things or the big things - promises are meant to be kept and should be 
3. We wouldn't sweat the small things and keep moving on to the Bigger picture -  Red tape anyone ? To do anything and I mean anything there are tons and tons of hurdles and often we are caught in the tangled web we weave. We need to focus on the bigger picture and all these steps are a means to the end but hey at-least try and reach the summit.We need to stop sweating the small stuff and reach the summit
4. We would be uber trendy - The dad  is totally into trends.Linen shirts check ..Even if grandchildren say ewwww Nanu .Top of the line Computers check and Kindle check..Sure he blows his top hahaha and he does it often but he perseveres and tries to get onto the trend though things often "cheese him off"- his words not mine .We as a nation would be super trendy and would be "supa cool"
5. Cricket would be our God - I know enough said , its already our god but we would be more and more into it, so much so that the nation would embrace any country v/s any country. We would get up at ungodly hours and watch Zimbabwe v/S New Zealand with as much fervor as we would watch India v/s other neighbors matches.Children would be bought up on highlights and post match discussions rather than nursery rhymes and would learn some swear words to boot also
6. We would have time for belly laughs -As a nation with poverty and many other ills we often dont feel good enough to laugh that hard belly laugh that makes us slap the table in mirth.If my dad was a politican he would do rather than think and strive to learn and to do new and new things -even to reinvent things.This from my dad who always asked us to be ladylike and when my 2 year old daughter behaves like a hooligan will pardon it and say , kids will be kids. If we are doers , innovators and visionaries we will feel good about us and we will laugh that belly laugh of contentment

My "papa" gets my vote for many other reasons , reasons like changing yourself with times , knowing when to be strict ( really ) and when to be compassionate.Heck , Ill even vote for him to be the head honcho of the country...Cheers !!!! DAD

This post is written for the Weekend Contest in association with Shoes of The Dead at BlogAdda.com.

All Ramped up - A hairy story ....

Its often been said and not in a very complimentary way  that my thatch resembles a bird's all curly and everywhere .Yes , that's my sisters way of motivating me to get better groomed or worse still chop off all my hair.In fact , I have been so plagued by my messy and curly hair that I have spent the better part of my life with short locks.With another head of hair to care , this one the curliest of all (my toddlers), short hair was a winner all the way.

( Image courtesy www.topnews.in)

Though , I've lopped off a lot of hair , I still want it to look stylish and smart.In fact when I do doff off the casual clothes we wear at home ( sweats , any one) and meet civilized people whose idea of fun in not running amok , I like to feel confident of my well coiffed hair.So Tresemme came to the rescue with wonderful products which suit my hair to the the T and provide a much needed base to style my hair and make it ramp ready for real life or at-least good enough to go in public.

I have horrendously and I mean horrendously curly hair so I had to take good ammunition, the mission was to appear in public along with friends at the "please touch me museum " at philly where you guessed it , children were allowed to touch and play with stuff.So Here is what I used

1. Tresemme climate control shampoo- Its infused with keratin, olive oil and climate controlled complex and helps in fighting the frizz, specially on humid days .I lathered and sudsed  and dumped the kid on the husband 
   

2. Tresemme climate control conditioner - Makes your hair so so soft .It has the same properties and
    helps to make your hair fight frizz

3. Heat Protectant - I used tresemme salon sleek smoothning spray.This contains argan oil and nourishes the hair .It protects the hair against the high heat of straighteners. Yay for straighteners though .I straightened my hair and gave a nice toss like the models in the you tube video and sashayed down my stairs to the trip.Another day saved by tresemme.

The Tresemme images are courtesy http://www.tresemmeindia.com

Here's my final and sleek look - All shiny and straight. For me ramp ready is any hairstyle that makes you feel confident of yourself and puts a zing in your step cause you know you are looking your best .

This post is a submission for Get your hair ramp ready contest at www.indibloggers.in. I liked the tips and tricks shown in the  TRESemmé India Youtube chanel.Try it and see what fun a good hair day can lead to

Hershey's "Perfectly chocolate " Cake

It is well known in my circle that the hubs has a sweet tooth but the kid has then sweetest tooth.She loves to watch Dinosaur Train and calls herself a T-Rex.In this case she scarfs sweets by the bucketfuls.I know shes 2 and she shouldn't be indulged so therefore I have to keep her away from sweets.Just to indulge her this time I made a Hershey's chocolate cake and cupcakes

Hershey's package proclaims that cocoa is an anti-oxidant and should be enjoyed responsibly...Ya right !!!!!

So here is the recipe.It makes 2 cakes or 1 cake and 6 cupcakes like me

Ingredients 

2 cups sugar (I reduced just one or two teaspoons out of it to make it less sweeter)
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
I added 1 tsp of espresso powder or instant coffee powder .Just to add some extra zing


Directions

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Prepare your pans /cupcake pans
2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans. 
3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely. .

Overall the cake is soft and moist and spongy and actually quite chocolaty.The glaze is easy and stress free and one kept in the fridge overnight the cake becomes fudgey and more than yummy.

Frosting 

The perfectly chocolate cake needs a slather of perfectly chocolate frosting.So here's the recipe courtesy hershey's.

Ingredients

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
2/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency.
Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.

Here are the Results... The proof of  the pudding is literally eating it.....

A visit to the sweetest place on earth - Hershey's Chocolate World

AAAhhhhh !!!! The sweet sweet smell of chocolate and a visit to where it all is done makes my heart aflutter much more than even when I had the briefest of dates with my then fiance and now Hubs...Anyhooooo ,the way to a women's heart is and will always be chocolate , though I don't mind the occasional Bling.

Hershey's chocolate world is situated in Hershey's , PA.Straight up Ill let you know that the trip is not worth it if you are just doing that.If you club Hershey's world -the theme park or zoo america then Its a sweet air conditioned , chocolate smelling sweet sweet respite.

Its an hour and a half away from our place and I was skeptical whether my 2 year old would enjoy it but my tot is a chocoholic and I mean chocoholic .She craves chocolate.In a nutshell , heres what you can do

1. The chocolate Ride- Its a nice 5 minute ride which explains the process of chocolate making and ends with a sweet surprise. Sanskriti liked the talking cows and they have 4D effects 

2. Do the Factory Worker experience - Your kid assists as a factory worker and wears a cap and packs a 

     tin of chocolates.Adorable

3. Take Pics with Chocolate characters like Hershey Bars and Kisses - My tot looooved the characters so

     much , she couldn't stop hugging them..Yes ,I mean literally couldn't stop hugging them.I had to drag her 

     away, yes I know that mean but what would you do if she has a death grip on a hershey kiss character 

      and refuses to let go

4. Trolley tour-  Take a trip around hershey town in a trolley
5. Chocolate  Movie- 4D detective Movie (10 Minutes Long)'s
6. Chocolate Tasting Adventure - A more of a classroom style learning and tasting adventure
7. Create your own chocolate Bar - The stuff dreams are made of .You can be the kid in the willy wonka

     movie.

Above all you can be a kid in the candy shop with acandy of all sorts and shapes surrounding you.There are excellent food courts which offer savory items which are a must after all that sweetness.Try the cupcakes and chocolate brownies.

All in all its a fun thing to do and cross off your bucket list but do club it with other stuff..Kisses to you literally  since I came loaded with that stuff......

I write

Yes , I do write  ,that much is pretty obvious ....But I am now also writing for a site called stylecraze.com. It’s a content rich site chock full of product reviews, tips, tutorials and tricks. It basically caters to the Indian market and has a plethora of information. You can even ask for advice and initiate discussions.

I submitted a few articles and here is the list and links

1.     Mommy And Me – Nursery Rhymes Workout -It is an article about incorporating fun and fitness into your daily routine .Learn how to work out with your child using nursery rhymes.

( This image is courtesy skinnymom.com .The original post can be found at http://skinnymom.com/2012/10/31/mommy-and-me-4-tips-for-finding-the-right-playgroup/ )

2.     Pre Natal And Post Natal Exercises For Moms- This is a comprehensive list of water and yoga based workouts for pre and post natal mom’s

3.     Strength Training and Endurance – A Beginner’s Guide- Here I write about the importance of strength training. I have also included the information about a complete circuit of strength training using weights

4.     5 Benefits of Joining a Health Club- There is always an option of working out at home and joining a health club but there are certain advantages of working out at a health club 

5.     Meet the Super foods – Add Them to Your Lifestyle –With the easy availability of various foods and vegetables we can harness their nutrition. Here I enumerate certain foods and their nutritional benefits .I also provide easy ways of incorporating them in your diet and lifestyle.

So check these articles out ……..

To Forget is to be human and enjoy it......

“Forgetfulness is a form of freedom.” ― Kahlil Gibran

Truer words have never been spoken.I tend to associate this with myself more than anyone else in my life though Ill even add my mom to the fray.There may be severe ramifications in case you forget to lock your car , forget to switch off an iron when you are not at home or even when a souffle falls flat due to over cooking.Forgetfulness can also be a form of emancipation if its a trait you have .It can literally set you free.We all carry a lot of emotional baggage along with us .We analyse each instance in our life and whether it was right or wrong , who hurt us and how we were wronged etc etc.If we forget and don't mull over past blunders and past wrongs we can be free,free to be fearless and free to do what we want.

This story is about a new baker who was struck by the forgetfulness fairy if there is one. Sanskriti was well versed in the art of eating cakes - Cakes iced and decorated with marshmallow fondant,chocolate cakes and even mango cakes thanks to the passionate bakers in her house - her mom and her aunt . Soon she  was starting out on her culinary journey and baking though rewarding has its own pitfalls. ..oooh the batter thickens 

Mom's Jewelery is beautiful and wearing her mom's baubles was Sanskriti's favorite past-time and yes they glittered more so on her young and butterfly like disposition.So dawned the day when Sanskriti decided to surprise her mom with a home made mother day cake.Adorned with her mom's engagement ring she consulted her recipes.She measured , she sifted , she mixed , she poured and finally she baked. Once the cake cam out all soft and spongy , she set about icing the cake with her mom's favorite chocolate fudge sauce. Aaahh!!!!!! The lusciousness of the cake was a sure treat.Sanskrit's mom was received home and given the customary hugs and Happy Mother's Day was shouted on top of the Voices. The Duo decided to go for a celebratory dinner and decided to dress up . When the Mom decided to bling up she searched high and low for her engagement ring but it was for naught ..Boo Hooo.. With a sad heart and not wanting to disappoint her offspring , mom went on the  dinner.All through the yummy pot-stickers the mom thought of the ring , she slurped the soup and her tears and the noodles and cashew and veggie studded chicken reminded her of the studded ring.

They returned home and the cake was duly produced and admired and ooohed and aahed upon and then was cut (The Sacrilege ).Mom was given the first slice as the guest of honor.She bit into it and thanked her toothpaste and her religious dental routine when she almost cracked her teeth on you guessed it , her engagement ring. It was a new birth at-least for the ring .All was forgiven and it was a happy ending to a happy day .

It was all good and though sanskriti was contrite , she being of the sunny disposition promptly  forgot about the almost loss of her mom's ring and hence being fearless about other mishaps carried on baking.  So carried on her culinary shenanigans and her next adventure was the incident when she made  home made cinnamon rolls while wearing her Mom's Diamond solitaires ..Stay tuned 



This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda

First Aid Kit - Travel

Kids are always getting into scrapes and scratches and specially when we are far away from home.Over  a few posts I am going to detail how I travel with my toddler and include information about things to carry in a diaper bag and these are the essential ones.I will not travel without these .I also make sure to keep a small first aid kit for boo-boo's and believe me they have come in handy. I have made use of my first aid kit when my toddler fell and scraped her knee in a zoo among other things.

I received this kit courtesy a children's hospital so I know that it is pretty comprehensive.You can add or subtract as your heart desires.I think the prerequisite is a small bag as we have a mentality of stuffing everything but the kitchen sink in it.Its important to emphasize on the word "travel" hence the need for concise yet comprehensive.

Here are the things you need

1. A small bag - I use the small zippered bag that I received.It has a hook .It is conveniently red and transparent so I don't spend all my time digging for it. Zip-lock bags work in a pinch 
2. Band Aids- This is a no-brainer. Make sure to have 5-6 band-aids  preferably water proof and replenish at least once a month.You can get cute character themed ones like Dora and spongebob .It eases pain...trust me 
3. Hand Sanitizer Towlettes - Its only for hands and not to clean the wound
4. Antispectic Ointments Singles / Small tube of Antiseptic Ointment .To cleal a wound or scrape an antiseptic / cleansing wipe may be used 
5. Soothing Moisturizer like tube of Aquaphor or Aloe Vera Gel for relief from sunburn and minor skin irritations.A small vial of Lacto Calamine may be used. Lacto Calamine is also helpful for relief from insect bites 

All individuals have different needs and this is by no means a complete list.Remember travel lite and stay safe.If all else fails a lot of hugs and kisses will also seal the deal.Leaving you with Barney's Anthem.It sure makes me feel good and the toddler adores it.Make sure you also check the expiration dates for all the items .You can also purchase ready made kits .