"Shave or Crave" - BlogAdda contest

                                         

This post is a part of the 'Shave or Crave' movement in association with BlogAdda.com

A stubble isn't bad as such but when it upsets the evening spirit, rough on the cheeks and your age begins to show off among those tini mini white hair, it can be quite a spoilsport and above all “I hate the Devdas look”. Reminds me of Shahrukh’s awful overacting in Devdas..

So, my cheerful mood on a Sunday took a toll seeing my hubby sport a stubble all of a sudden. The plan was to go out to the nearby mall to encounter the pre- Christmas celebrations.

“Eeeee, what’s that???” I shrieked.No reaction…

 “Please take it out”….. I lowered my pitch… (You know it works with men most of the times to see the woman bend)
Ignored…

“I beg of you”---and I waited for a decent response this time.. My man is a man of few words and for him "Action definitely speaks louder than words".."Bhaaaam" went the door…and I was left dumbstruck and helpless. All my pleas were paid no heed to and I was at a loss of words to influence him. All my hues and cries went kaput. And my ego and self- respect..Sob,sob L

My next plan was to serve him something that would brighten up his mood as the old thought goes “the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach”…I guess I had already made some way to it long back and couldn't push any further so my version of the same would be “The way to kill a man’s ego is through his stomach”. So I made his favorite dishes. He was happy, appreciated it much, and hummed a few lines of some crappy song (one of his favorites ).Taking benefit of the situation, I popped those pleads again.. “So all those lovely dishes were to blackmail me emotionally huhhhhh!!!”…. – instantly came the response…and poor me!!I was out of ideas to trick him!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So when it was finally time for us to move out in the evening, I felt so sick and grumpy that for a while I wished I was a man and could grow a stubble too LSo just as I was contemplating to cancel the evening plan, my hubby finally spoke up  ...”Ok babes, it’s Christmas time, time to rejoice and make your loved ones happy...So, don’t worry, I’ll get rid of it..Now cheer up and get dressed quickly in that favourite black of mine (again one of those that I hated to put onL but anything to eradicate a stubble)

“Thank you Santa, for bringing some sense to my hubby’s brains”…

Workaholic turns SAHM

A fun-filled and meaningful work/life balance,supportive and loving social circle,handsome paychecks vs a thankless,tiring,24/7 stay at home mom job..Which one do you choose?? Needless to say,the former!!!

Hmm,Unfortunately,life doesn't leave us with much choice..and we have to become one at some point in our life when family takes priority over career..
By the grace of God and with a good day care support,I could work for a good period of time after my son's birth..But I knew that it would all end one day and I would be forced to stay back home raising him..And so it finally happened after 11 years.

And I expected my life to be simpler with a long sabbatical,fantasy of my much desired me-time, organizing the house,trying different recipes,finding new hobbies,upgrading my skills and the joys of being with my baby that I really missed while at work..

It's been 3 weeks since my journey as a stay at home has started..The first 2 weeks were nothing less than hell,with sudden tremors of outbursts picking up every now and then, struggling to cope up with joblessness and excessive multi-tasking ..Outcome: Failure to keep an over active child chirpy all the time and feelings of guilt sprawling...I guess that's what happens when you are suddenly left with an unproductive mind and  an unrewarding never ending job!!and my happy plans remained as unfulfilled dreams only..and what happens to the poor kid..He is left to wonder what's wrong with mommy and gets crankier,grumpy and irritated !!

After much struggle to keep a maid or not,I finally zeroed in on a part time maid with my hubby's support who could bring me some solace and the sanity that I was beginning to lose..

Now,again,my mind is getting back to its normality, blissful thoughts are flowing in,productive thoughts are filling in and I am finally on my way to accomplishing my much cherished plans..Outcome: The poor kid is bubbly again!!

A few things that I gathered from this journey are :Never over-estimate your capacity,multi-task only to the extent you can ,meditate once in a while ,break out of the routine,write your heart out,exercise or indulge in any sport activity and most importantly get help if you can afford to till you are prepared to handle the show on your own..

Quote on life

Easy baby food recipes - II

Ever since my son started taking solid food,I've been on an experimentation spree for easy homemade baby food recipes.I strive to give him stuff that would add to essential nutrients and build up a healthy immune system while maintaining the taste factor.

The other day while chatting with my maid,I learnt about this great cereal mix.This baby food recipe has a blend of a variety of cereals ,very easy to make and extremely healthy.I've been feeding him this mix during breakfast and early evening snack times.

So for all those fussy eaters like my son,here's presenting the secret recipe which is definitely worth a shot.

Method

Dry roast equal quantities of flattened rice, wheat, dalia, rice, different varieties of dal  sprinkled with some ajwain and cumin seeds(to aid in digestion and apetite and provide millions of other health benefits)Coot it,grind it and store it in an airtight jar for frequent use.

To make the preparation,heat some ghee in a pan ,take 2-3 spoonful of this mixture and mix it well with the ghee.Cook it until the color changes to pale brown. Add some boiled water and milk to this. Cook again for another 3-4 minutes until you get a smooth consistency.

For an enriching taste,add some almond powder/raisins ,garnish with fruit pieces and jaggery syrup to sweeten it.

The superb,rich,filling and nutritious all cereal mix is ready to be served now.

Also check out my other easy weaning food recipes at http://stay-athome-moms.blogspot.in/2012/03/easy-baby-food-recipes-1.html

Cough remedies for children

Cough remedies for children

Children are prone to cold and cough more often during early years. The chances can double up  if they are kept exposed to external environment like day cares  and playschools. Research says that a cold normally lasts for around 7 to 10 days and no remedies can make the cold go away faster. You can treat the symptoms though and bring some relief to the affected child .I am presenting some of the routines that I follow , some tips jotted down from the net  and as recommended by my pediatrician to treat common cold and cough in children.

The Art of making chocolates -workshop in Thane

Chocolates!!chocolates!!chocolates!!!Who doesn’t like them and if you can make chocolates in the comfort of your house when you have a little kid around,what else would you want !!! I made the most of the Mumbai visit this time by learning how to make basic yummy chocolates that does not take much time, are easy to make and costs much less than what you would get in the market!!

We made 23 different varieties of chocolates ranging from plain, crunchy butterscotch, crispies, fruits and nuts, cappuccino, orange delights, minty mint ,caramel, flaky ,double decker chocolates in different shapes to cookie dips, coco nutty bounty and lollypops. We learnt packing them too in decorative paper wraps.

So, for all the newbie’s like me ,you can join B.G’s classes and also follow them on Facebook @ BGs-Chocolates

Also, sharing this easy chocolate making recipe from  YouTube :

chocolate covered corn flakes recipe

How to treat Head injuries in children

How restless and helpless did you feel when your loved one fell down and hurt himself in the head for the first time? Wasn’t it terribly petrifying  and distressing? I have experienced the same too!!

Well, the good news is that most head injuries are not alarming and you can do a lot to safeguard your  little one in such mishaps .Head injuries in children are common during childhood and adolescence. After all, falling is a way of growing up too!!

Easy baby food recipes - 1

Dalia Porridge

Dalia porridge makes for a very healthy and easy baby food recipe. Dalia(broken wheat) is rich in fibre and provides your child with all the necessary nutrients .

I have learnt this exciting baby food recipe from the website: http://www.suvaiarusuvai.com/2011/05/dalia-porridge-recipe-for-infants.html

I am producing my own , tried and tested version of the recipe .

Method:

Pre-roast dalia and store it in an air-tight jar for frequent use. Earlier, I used to powder and blend it since my son would have difficulty digesting it .In a pan, heat around 1-2 teaspoons of ghee, add 2-3 tablespoons of dalia with few tablespoons of drinking water. Bring it to a boil and add few tablespoons of milk(I use cow/formula milk) depending upon the required consistency..Mix it well to ensure that no lumps are created. Cook it for 5 minutes. To this, put in  2 teaspoons of roasted almond powder and jaggery (boiled and sieved). Almond is loaded with dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals .It is also blessed with numerous health benefits and provides protection against several diseases. Serve it semi-warm.

Ensure to supply water to your child while feeding this baby food recipe frequently to help him digest it well.

So, doesn’t this really make a great and quick recipe?

You can substitute Dalia with semolina/ragi at times as well for a change of taste.You can some add mashed fruits too to make it more exciting!!

 My tot of 8.5 months loves it and has it often for breakfast…If you like this recipe, please write back to me..

I’d also love it if you could share such healthy recipes that would benefit a lot of moms.

Motherhood - A Reason to Love and Rejoice

Why does it so happen that we often ignore the divine present moments at hand and find ourselves lost in thoughts of the future that can wait to give these beautiful moments a chance to cherish for a lifetime?

While I was pregnant, I kept my mind engaged in useless thoughts of tomorrow, of fears of childbirth, fears of the unknown, fear of losing the job or possible inability to keep the job and the list goes on...

I got my 3 full months of much long awaited maternity leaves, after 10 years of dedicated service, little to no vacations and a routine work life. I had decided to make the most of it since this would be one of the very few long breaks one gets in a life full of jobs and work unless you plan a long sabbatical. When the time actually arrived, in between enjoying motherhood, I experienced bouts of depression, relapsed fear of joblessness, impending fading finance, and indefinite future of the child, etc., again missing the present moment that had so much to offer.

And guess what? I finally left  my job that I had hoped to hold on to forever when my child was 8 months old .Hence, I settled into a stay at home mom full time job. Again, instead of cherishing the lovely moments with the baby, I had been only thinking of new ways of generating cash flow and yet again attracting pointless alarmed thoughts of the future...

Today, I decided to pause and  give my horrifying stupid thoughts a chance to vanish for a while and enjoy the day with my son that I truly missed all these days...

It’s an overwhelming splendid feeling to capture real life visuals of your little loved one trying to cling to you and give you that captivating beautiful smile, troubling you, clapping his tiny hands, trying to hold, kiss and hug you, love you with his own small ways, the naughty face sneaking a peek when he refuses to comply, the small but significant acts that you will fail to catch if you blink....

So, does it really make sense to surround our minds by unpredictable thoughts that hold no good today. Instead, why don’t we let go and treasure these moments of the joys of motherhood that God has bestowed upon us with love...

Weaning food for babies

6 Months

I started weaning my baby at around 5 and 1/2 months so that he would get slowly used to it by the time he was 6 which is the correct age for introducing semi-solid food. And his paediatrician advised it too. The 1^st cereal that I gave him was Rice “Cerelac” since it’s simple to digest and gives the 1^st flavour of solid food. Initially I would make only 1 portion (1 spoon) of it once a day (milk being the addition for the rest of his requirements) and gradually increased to 2 (Lunch and Dinner 2 spoons each) by the time he completed 6 months.

7 & 8 Months

When he turned 7 months, his pediatric suggested giving him 3 portions of solid food (Breakfast, lunch and dinner) .I decided to include natural food and limited packaged to dinner times only.

For Breakfast and Lunch, I introduced rice and dal powder (1 tablespoon, pressure cooked with veggies (1 or 2 varieties to start off with) to provide necessary nutrients. I would add a pinch of salt (optional) too. Ghee/butter can be added for flavor and to supplement some fat to the diet. I would serve ½ of this portion in breakfast and the remaining in lunch. I also included ½ a piece of an apple (boiled and mashed) in between his meals.

You can make the rice powder by mixing rice and dal in equal proportions .Make sure to wash them thoroughly first and then dry them under the sun. You can store this mixture in a clean, dry jar and use it whenever necessary...

 He did not seem to like the change in his diet pattern in the beginning and made a terribly fussy face since the only supply he had till now was either breast milk or formula milk and cerelac which was more like sweetened rice and seemed better to the taste budsJ.

Thank God, he adjusted to it in 2 days...

I made a mistake which I must commit here...Assuming that his digestive system is strong enough, I gave him 3 varieties of vegetables too soon thinking that it would be aid in his growth.

Result: He pooped about  5 times that day passing semi liquid stools...Hence the moral of the story is to restrict varieties to  1 or 2, continue for a couple of days and then add another if required and only after observing his entire system(4 days in general). This is true for any type of new food for infants.

His diet plan at 8 months comprise of the foll.

·         Breakfast: Ragi (Finger Millet) porridge with or without puréed veggies/Daliya (Broken Wheat) porridge. Occasionally, I add some fruits to it like boiled apple/mashed banana and almond powder. I make it a point to add ghee/butter as well.

·         Lunch (Rice with veggies...same as above with a dash of turmeric powder and salt)

·         Dinner (Rice and veggies cerelac)

·         In betweens : Teething biscuit and milk

Blended rice with veggies and Daliya porridge

Next week, I’m going to aim at egg whites and chicken stew :)...Let’s see how he catches up!!

Easily digestible veggies

Carrots, sweet potatoes, squash, peas, green beans, spinach and beets, cauliflowers

Fruits

Bananas, peaches, peeled apples and pears

Useful Infant Recipes

Ragi porridge

Dalia porridge

Rice cereals

First cereal recipes

Did you find this article useful??Please write back to me...

Make money with Affiliate Marketing

    

What is Affiliate Marketing?

Affiliate marketing in simple terms means “Marketing somebody else’s products or services”. So the good news is that you do not need to own a product.

Affiliate marketing network involves three parties: A merchant (An advertiser, a brand or a seller), an affiliate himself (or a publisher) and a customer.

An affiliate signs up to market the merchant’s goods or services by directing a customer to the appropriate web page containing information about the advertised products. For every customer, the affiliate would earn an affiliate marketing commission.

How does Affiliate marketing work

Affiliate marketing is a good option for those:

·         Working from home/part time

·         Wishing to make some extra bucks along with a full time job

When a customer clicks on a link from your website directing to the main web site, this information is stored in the profile. Every time he or she buys something, you receive a commission as agreed upon by the owner.

Another way to earn affiliate marketing commission is through paying per click (ppc affiliate marketing). Here, you place small ads (promote products of companies who are willing to pay you to bring customers to their sites) on popular search engines like yahoo, google, msn where traffic is extensively high (you got to pay them per click on your advertisement)

Moral: If you have some money to invest then opt for PPC (taking the “loss” too into consideration). At the same time, if you are not in a hurry then go for creating web sites.

How to start off with Affiliate Marketing

1) Create a website or blog (with WordPress/Blogspot) or only a “lens” on Squidoo.com (if you don’t have a website or don’t enjoy writing) about the product(s) you are advertising. The information that you publish must be of great quality and informative to attract readers. You could also start your own email list and offer them free products to kick-start. Once you have developed enough confidence in them, you could suggest products that they would need to pay for and begin affiliate marketing.

2) Promote a product that matches you niche and choose a niche that people would want to browse through and develop interest in. It can either be physical or virtual (software/eBook).For physical products, you can set up an account on Amazon.com or CJ.com. Clickbank.com is one of the most popular ones and will give you the option to promote virtual products.

3) Drive traffic to your site with SEO optimisation techniques. You got to build abundant patience here as the famous saying that goes -“Rome as not built in a day”

4) Build trust in your readers

A word of caution: Do not push people to buy products, only recommend them. Also do not suggest products that you are not sure of .This might end up losing your valuable readership network.

There are several places where you would like to place Affiliate Links on a site, depending upon where your readers would most likely focus their attention on.

Suggestions: Text-link ads are advisable to be placed in blog posts, or you could put advertisement banners above or below each post since the readers would glance mostly at those areas while reading your posts.

Innovation, intelligence the right tactics will take you to attain your objectives.

Some good links to learn about Affiliate marketing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6y0JxNq8Df0

http://www.problogger.net/archives/2009/07/07/what-is-affiliate-marketing/

Sahaja Yoga - Pathway to serenity!!

Few months back while I was pregnant, I attended a Sahaja Yoga session organized by "Young Professionals Network”. It’s a committee for professionals, as the name suggests in my organization.
I have learnt a few meditative practices including ART of living (basics),simple meditation and traditional yoga. Though I practice yoga regularly, I could not really bring myself upto meditating daily due to lack of time and interest and concentration...So I just thought of attending this session for a new enlightenment.
Well, It takes just five minutes in the morning and five minutes in the night and you are ready to embark into a divine journey...It’s very easy to practice too.
The main objective of any form of Yoga is to connect us with inner peace and silence that stays deep within each one of us.

Sahaja Yoga is a meditation technique which brings a breakthrough in the evolution of human awareness. It was created by Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi in 1970 and since then has spread all around the globe. It is very effective for stress management in our day to day lives.

Sahaja Yoga begins with Self Realization (Kundalini awakening) rather than it being an unattainable goal. Kundalini Shakti lies in a dormant state at the base of the spine of every human being. Shri Mataji in her own words, says, "Self Realization is the first encounter with Reality".

There are seven chakras (energy centers) within us. They are responsible for our physical, emotional and mental well being. Once Kundalini passes through the six centers (energy centers in the spinal cord) and penetrates through the fontanel bone area on the top of our head, our centers (chakras)get rejuvenated and we feel relaxed and calm and energized. We also feel a cool breeze flowing through our fingertips .You will feel it through the fontanel bone area on the top of our head as well.

It also produces a state of thoughtless awareness. We are always worried about our future or past. As Kundalini rises, these thoughts lengthen. A very small space is created between the thoughts as it spreads out and creates a state of complete silence. This helps us to remain in the present without any fear which actually is the reality.

When the fetus is about 2 to 3 months old in the mother's womb, rays of consciousness emitted through the power of heavenly Love, pass through the brain to enlighten it. The shape of the brain is like a prism. The column of rays falling on it gets refracted into four diverse channels. This corresponds to the four aspects of the nervous system. They are as follows:

Sympathetic nervous system - right side

Sympathetic nervous system - left side

Parasympathetic nervous system

Central nervous system

To experience Sahaja Yoga, click here
A person practicing Sahaja yoga can obtain Physical, Mental, Emotional and Spiritual benefits. To know the benefits of Sahaja Yoga, click here

I’ve experienced a celestial feeling many times while practicing it, an emotion that I really can’t explain in words. It helped me immensely during those depression clad pregnant days...
Please share your thoughts/comments if you have experienced anything similar..