What's the first thought that came to your mind when you read the title? The power of a single word...what are your expectations? Can it have a colossal impact? Well I believe it can. And even if it doesn't, I will remind myself time and again of this post and reinforce my faith. Yes, that is the magic of the internet, this little space. Accountability. Whenever we share something with our readers, we become answerable, accountable to that particular thing. 

So the word for 2023 is 

GRATITUDE

When I saw my favourite bloggers read Jacey Duprie, Leslie Stephens and many others share their words for 2023, it set me pondering. Supposedly people are no more making resolutions. Who sticks to them anyway? Intentions have taken the position and importance of resolutions few years back. And why not? Intentions are more doable and less rigid that resolutions. However the power of a single word dedicated for 2023 set my thinking horses galloping. Why not? Why not assign your intentions and thoughts to a single word and work on it for our betterment? The past three years have been pretty rough on me. However with maturity (of these three years), I have realised that I need to see the glass half full. I know it hasn't been easy and I have been in the lowest of all lows in my life during these three years, but that does not mean that I don't need to heal myself.

I have the scar marks, the grudges, the angst and the sadness. But I also remember the words from a self help book I reviewed two years back: If you hold a burning coal, the only person burning is you. So I have decided to let go ; because I am not ready to burn further. I have two little kids, and my well being is directly proportional to their healthy upbringing. 

So this year onwards it would be focusing majorly on the good, and being grateful for the incredibly gifted life God has endowed me with. Emotional struggles ; although crippling are majorly first world problems. So let's just focus on the pluses only because let's face it: if you want to survive in this world, it better be in a smiling mode; ain't you?

So here are the three major things I am grateful for in 2022:

Family health. Of course this goes without saying. Apart from little bit ailments, I am extremely grateful to have reasonably healthy parents, in laws and my immediate family. I mean nothing can be worse than an ailing elderly parent/ child or spouse. Incredibly grateful for their health.

Trip to Vietnam. Well being travelled to 23 countries so this may not seem something special. But believe me it is! With our last international trip to Maldives and Sr Lanka being 3 years back, it was the longest gap in the stamping of our passports! And not only that, I was privileged to travel with my entire fam...the kids as well as my parents. Incredibly grateful to my husband for planning this trip so efficiently for everyone of us to cherish for a lifetime. My little one would never be this little, strutting down the streets of Hanoi on her grandfather's lap. Simply priceless.

Home Renovation. When we bought this apartment in 2017, it was in fine shape. The interiors were not exactly upto my taste but there was no point in tearing down the perfectly working cabinets and all. Neither we had the money.

Five years down the line, there was a lot of wear and tear and two years of staying home with no maintenance rendered this place of some tender love and care. I decided to brave it all, going for the renovations (apart from the repairs) which I wanted but never could.

It was full six months of blood, sweat and tears literally. And not to forget the dust and debris. In one word, it was HELL. managing everything with 6 workers right next to me, 12 hours everyday. Husband nagging me daily that I had brought hell upon my family because of this decision. We never needed a new kitchen or mirrorred closets. But hey? He got to be outside at work, 14 hours a day while I combatted everything. But somehow looking back (now that everything is complete) I am pretty proud of myself.

My biggest gift of 2022 : getting to call this renovated place my home. I work extremely hard to keep it beautiful and clean, and I am extremely grateful that I get to cook in my dream kitchen everyday. I love the new doors, the new cabinets and every single change we made with our hard earned money.

Forever grateful.

What's your word for 2023? Let me know!

If you are a mom, then you simply just can't move around with a tiny clutch. You need to carry a lot of essential items if you have your baby or kid with you. We moms are supposed to be genies; whenever or wherever a wish is made by the kid, that item has to magically appear; courtesy mom! And we moms take this role very seriously. We love to dish out the item immediately, as soon as the demand arises and I really take pride in saying that my baby bag contains pretty much everything baby related!

Being a mom of two, I have kind of become pro in packing bags and here's my tried and tested list of things that I like to keep in my bag at all times.

 Baby Wipes: Whether your child is in the diapering stage or out of it, the one thing that can never leave your bag is a pack of good quality baby wipes. Over the years I have tried out quite a lot of variants, I can safely say that Cuddables Water Baby wipes are my first choice. Whether it's cleaning their face after feeding or wiping their tiny hands or their tiny, sensitive buttocks or other body parts, the quality of wipes is of utmost importance and that's the reason why I rely on Cuddables wipes. It's the best you can give your little one, here's why:

• 99% water. The first thing that I look for while buying anything for my babies are its ingredients. When it comes to wipes, I only buy water wipes. You don't want any chemical or alcohol rubbing your baby's skin. Water wipes are the safest thing you can use on their delicate skin. These wipes are enriched with hydrogenated castor oil, citric acid, barbadensis extract and glycerin. Cuddables water wipes are exactly the thing you had been looking for. 
• It's fragrance free. We all know that fragrances are chemicals. We don't need any extra chemicals for our littles. These wipes are paraben, SLS and toxin free. I am always looking for fragrance free baby products.
• 100% cotton fabric and no plastic. Anything that touches our little's skin should be cotton. And do we need more plastic in our lifestyle? No, not at all!
• 3 times thicker. Thick wipes are so important. It means that they are not going to tear away while using and also they are very soft on our little ones' skin.
• Eco friendly and Bio degradable. We can never let go the concern for our Mother Earth even for a while. The way we nurture our babies, the same care is deserved by our Mother earth too. While buying any disposable product, we should always make sure that it's eco friendly and bio degradable.

Since Cuddables water wipes are made of cotton, they are safe for our Mother earth too. You can buy them from Cuddables.in, Amazon, Flipkart, Meesho and their website.

Hence by using Cuddables water wipes we are not only taking care of our delicate babies but our Earth too. Do you need more reasons to switch to Cuddables wipes?

The other mandatory things in a baby bag would be (of course apart from diapers and formula) an extra set of clothes. Kids often wet/soil their outfits and leaving them in a wet top would be the last thing you would want. Healthy snacks both for the baby and you. Some toy or small activity based stuff to keep the kids occupied. I always keep stickers and colours and sheets. Last but not the least, paracetamol syrup for the kids and tablets for me. You never know when a severe headache might hit you or someone else would thank you for dishing out the simplest yet most effective pill in such a scenario.

So mommies, this was my "What's in my kid's bag" secret. Do let me know if I can add anything more to the list.

Don't forget to follow Cuddables on Instagram, Facebook and Youtube. 

 If you have tried planning a trip to Vietnam, you will know this dilemma. The biggest decisions lie in the selection of destinations while planning for your trip abroad. And if you are travelling abroad after a long time, read after 2 years of Covid, then expectations are really running high and you don't want to mess it up for your family.

Can you spot me? This is the view from our room ....the South China Sea with the innumerable limestone cliffs; the very reason of our trip to Vietnam

What's your first priority when it comes to choosing a stay on vacation? For us, it depends. Like the nature of the destination as well as our accompaniments. Of course, budget is a very big deciding factor, especially when abroad. We don't like to squander n luxurious properties mindlessly because of mainly two reasons. Firstly, we hardly spend any time in the property because we are there to explore, right? Secondly I feel that all five star properties provide more or less the same amenities all over the world. For example, there isn't much difference in the amenities of Pullman New Delhi Aerocity and Novotel Hyderabad Airport. Similarly the properties like Rennaissance Powai, Mumbai and ITC Maratha are similar (although I love ITC properties more). I can quote endless examples based on my say and am totally confident in my claim. Of course there are numerous luxurious properties that deserve a stay like Atlantis The Palm in Dubai, Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, Ocean villas (of any property) in Maldives, etc. What I mean to say is that budget is a major factor for us (and most travellers like us) and hence we should opt for expensive properties only when such experience is absolutely unique.

 We all have been there. Feeling blah about our appearance from time to time. It's very natural and human to feel so and this becomes even more prominent around the holiday season. While a change in makeup routine and adding colours to your wardrobe might give you a lift, it's rather short lived. One of the best ways to amp your look is to change the way how you do your hair. If you are a curly haired girl, straighten your hair and vice versa! Also a dash of colour changes the face like no other. However the long term effects may be damaging and you might not opt for them; if you too sceptical like me! So here I have curated a small list of all the ways you can change your hairstyle, without damaging your actual hair!

1. Try beading your hair with colours. As I said before, if you are too sceptical of doing something permanent, then this is a great way to elevate your look. Try weaving coloured braids into your hair. It instantly lifts up the face. The more the braids, drastic is the effect!

2. Try a good wig. I can't sing gaga over over this enough. Instant way to go from long to short or from shoulder length to long hair! Go from crinkled curly hair to razor straight or from beachy waves to well defined curls in no time!

I love how these looks are easy to achieve and maintain. Always go for a good brand. I personally have found Nadula really great as they offer such great variety. It's super easy to play with colours too!

Their wigs are beginner friendly and you can choose the density of the hair you want. Choosing the correct density is important because you don't want to look artificial. If you have already thick mane, go for lesser density.

3. Change your parting. It's always an easy way to elevate how you look. I love doing it from time to time.

4. Simple tricks like putting your hair inside the collar of your coat can change the way how you look; especially in photographs. If you have longer hair, this trick gives the illusion of a short bob.

5. Accessorise. Never underestimate the power of accessories! A jewelled headband would make you feel like a queen! Be it hair clips or cute elastics, they go a long way!

6. Change the way how you do your hair. If you are a ponytail girl, make your pony on top of your head. It will change the look. If you are fond of making buns, go for the top knot. Also don't forget the power of headgears...bandana, scarves, hats and berets! Bring them on board!

Girls which of these is your favourite? Add on more tips in the comments below!

Winters come with so many things. Basking in the crisp sun, picnics, lots of fruits and vegetables, chic boots and coats and so many other things that we wait for year long. Especially if you live in North India, then there are myriads of activities that can't be done in the scorching heat and you wait for the temperatures to go down. With all this comes the harsh side of winters too. Yes I am talking about dry skin and frizzy hair.

During these colder months, our hair and skin need extra care. While it's easier to slather up on moisturizers and lotions, the same can't be said about our hair. Taking care of hair is a mammoth task and it's even more challenging if you have curly hair like me. So after much trial and error, I have found a few ways that would help keep hair nourished, especially during these months.

1. Don't use hot water to wash your hair.

The winters are notorious for drying our mane and if you use hot water for hair washing, it would further strip off the moisture present in our crowning glory. Not only that, hot water increases the appearance of dandruff too. Always use warm water instead.

2. Oil your hair thoroughly before you shampoo.

Oiling your hair with a good hair oil has innumerable benefits. Choose a hair oil that has safe and tested ingredients and works for a number of causes.

Recently I have started using the Coco Onion Natural Hair Oil from Little extra love. I love that it's a concoction of effective ingredients like coconut oil, onion oil, sea satin, bhringraj etc. It is mineral oil free, paraben free and fragrance free which means it's absolutely safe for our hair.

This powerful formula strengthens our hair from root to tip, deeply nourishes our hair and hence fight hair fall. Also helps regenerate new follicles and helps in healthy hair growth and fights dandruff too. I have experienced noticeable reduction in hair fall and dandruff since I have started using it. Apply this oil and massage your scalp 30 minutes before you go for a hair wash. Follow this regime and thank me later!

3. Comb your hair at least twice a day.

If you have curly hair like me, which remains tangled for most part of our lives, then it's possible that combing is a big chore. This can become even more challenging during winters. However combing has innumerable benefits. It increases the blood flow to the scalp and also prevents dandruff.

So even when you don't feel like brushing and want to remain in the bun hairstyle, remember my words and do yourself a favour.

Use a wide tooth comb always. 

4. Adequate hydration and nutrition. 

You may not feel thirsty enough during winters so the water consumption may considerably go down. However that's detrimental to our skin and hair health. Make sure to consume at least 8 glasses of water and have plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables on a daily basis.

5. Use gentle hair products.

Make sure to read and know all the ingredients of a product before you use it on yourself. The hair products of Little extra love have everything listed and are free from every type of chemicals. Personally I like to know about the composition of the products I use in detail and hence I love this brand because they declare everything. The best part? These products are really effective.

So girls which one of these tips seems most effective to you? What else would you like to add?