Review -Himalaya for Moms 'Mother's Day' Gift Hamper! #momsunplugged

"It's not easy being a Mother. If it were easy, Fathers would do it"! Well the quote says it all and hence it's ok to dedicate one day to Father's Day but Mother's Day needs to be celebrated everyday !

This Mother's Day, the little man in the house had already planned a surprise with the help of his dad to make his muma feel special. I was already beeming up with the gesture and love of my little one when a beautiful gift hamper from Himalaya For Moms arrived and it was like an icing on the cake.

I am a great fan of Ayurvedic products and It gives me immense satisfaction that these products come from a very source that has been in the market for many decades now. The trust and reliability has never been an issue with the name that's made a place for itself in almost every household. They were already ruling the hearts of mothers who rely on Himalaya products for their babies and now with their range of Himalaya for Moms, they are on the list of every mom who deserves the best.

Here's my review of Himalaya for Moms "Mother's Day Gift Hamper" that had the best of products essentially designed keeping in mind the needs of a mother who needs to care for herself as much she does for others.

The beautifully designed hamper was surprisingly wonderful with a collection of all things mommy. Himalaya for Moms made sure Mommies get the best when it came to pampering their ownself and what better day than Mother's Day to delight her with such goodies.

Himalaya for Moms Soothing body butter in three different fragrances- Jasmine, Lavender and rose was a perfect treat for a mum like me who loves to keep herself moisturised. With it's long lasting deep moisturising property, it nourishes and smoothens the extra dry skin and keeps the skin hydrated for long. It's non greasy creamy texture makes it perfect for a day today use. The body butter gets absorbed in the skin and leaves the skin moisturised and non oily. Mild fragrances of Jasmine, Lavender and Rose have calming effects on the body along with keeping the skin soft and supple.

'Himalaya for Mom-Toning massage oil' with a Lavender fragrance was just the perfect thing that arrived well in time to fulfill my desire of going for an aroma massage therapy. I replaced my regular oil that I used for massage with this "Himalaya for Moms Toning massage oil" that is enriched with the goodness of traditional Sesame Oil that tones and firms the skin. Massage on my legs after a long
day felt really good and relaxing. Ingredients like 'winter cherry' and 'country mellow' works like magic and have soothing and calming effect on the mind while nourishing the body.

A menicure set by health and glow with Nail clippers, Cuticle Trimmer, Cleaner, Cuticle scissors, Straight Tweezer, Nail file was the most needed addition to the hamper to take care of those hands that never stops working. We often tend to ignore our hands that's on duty 24/7 while we caress the baby, hold and nurture them apart from the other household chores that keep them engaged all through out.

After you are done taking care of your beautiful hands it's time for a nail paint. As much I loved painting my nails before motherhood, now I hardly even think of doing so. Not because I have any less interest now but the fact that I usually end up having a chipped nail paint which looks even  worst. More so, finding a colour that goes well with everything is another task at hand.

But my search for the perfect shade just got over when I found this  Maybelline New York Color Show nude skin  nail paint in the hamper. Nude skin shade in the color shaw range of Meybelline was just the right match for my skin. It added the salon like sheen to my nails after two coats and I just loved the glam look that every mommy deserves once in a while.

Well, no celebration is complete until you are offered a sweet and therefore this pack of yummy chocolates were a very thoughtful addition to the hamper.

Himalaya for Moms is a range of safe, effective and gentle products specially formulated for women. The products are a result of years of scientific research and  Ayurveda which effectively restores natural health and vitality of the skin.

Post pregnancy women's body goes through lots of changes which needs a lot of extra care and the use of natural products away from chemicals to keep the body and skin in good condition. Himalaya's range for Moms definitely gives a boost to the mothers skin if used regularly. I have used Himalaya for Moms products before and I see a world of difference in my skin. I have also been using the soothing body butter regularly and it immidiately adds a little glow on the face if applied overnight. Though I have used all the three fragrances, Jasmine soothing body butter is my favourite with a lovely aroma.

Recently Himalaya for Moms also launched their digital campaign #momsunplugged that puts the spotlight on real Moms who share heartfelt conversation about their experiences of joy, fear, guilt, apprehension, and finding a new sense of identity. These candid moments are captured by Himalaya for Moms in a series of videos that will give you a glimpse of world of motherhood with #momsunplugged

A big thank you to Himalaya for Moms for making Mother's Day even more special for me. After all the pampering that I got during this time ... it turned out to be my best Mother's Day ever.

My Dad My Hero !

"A good father is one of the most 

  unsung, unpraised, unnoticed, and 

     yet one of the most valuable assets in our society"  

Billy Graham

Mothers always gets their due when it comes to giving birth to the child and nurturing them... We often end up talking about the bond that a child shares with a mother..  But today I am gonna give some credit to fathers too :))

We can't deny that mothers love is the strongest and the ultimate guiding force for the child... Of course mothers gets the credit of carrying the babies, feeding and nurturing during the initial days of birth. Simply because a father dosent have much role to play he takes a backseat... still ensures the well being of the child and the mother and builds a complete support system for mother and the newborn.

I sometimes wonder... There is more than a reason for a child to be attached to a mother but what is it that binds a father to a child... Isn't it miraculous that a child shares the same bond, love and comfort with the father that he shares with the mother. Of course its got to do with science and genes but certainly there is more to it.

Just the way a woman is a woman until she becomes a mother... A man is a man until he becomes a father... That feeling of fatherly love, care, emotions flows in once they become a father and feels pride that the newborn is a part of him. The most loving and assuring thing is the fact 'Its my baby' makes parents just spill their heart out as kids give us identity of being parents...

When I was younger and I heard someone had a baby ... I always thought ok .. cool but what's a great deal about it. Everyone has babies.... I never understood what calls for such a big celebration ... How would I ?

Not just me .. No one can understand that feeling of becoming parents until they experience it themselves. Same goes with fathers.. Mothers are more expressive when it comes to cuddling and loving the baby.. Fathers have a different way of expressing their love through talks, fun and games.

Child gets a sense of security from his father, his presence makes them feel strong and secure. How much ever we talk of a gender bias but one thing is true that a presence of a man beside you makes you feel stronger be it your father, your husband or your son.

But fathers mere presence is not enough for the child.. Father has to work towards building that bond with the child for simple reason that child is surrounded by his mother for most of his daily needs and gets enough time and ways to bond along. Where as fathers working away from home have to take out time and spend few quality hours for the child to cherish those moments and look forward to more of it.

I still remember how my world came to a still in that moment of joy when I delivered my baby... All my views, thoughts, doubts came to an end when I first held him in my arms.

I couldn't believe how those beautiful twinkling eyes spoke so much with his gaze .. I just couldn't take my eyes off him. He was simply adorable to see as a newborn... I had never seen something as beautiful as this ever before.

My husband held him so cautiously and his face lit up like never before. No wonder it's a different feeling to carry your own baby in your arms. Its a miraculous feeling, one can only experience it cannot express enough in words.

It's such an amazing experience to see a just born baby express so much simply through his eyes, hands and leg movements... Just one simple smile can make you feel so much loved and happy..that you yearn for that one little smile all day long.

It's incredible to see how a newly born knows when they are hungry, how they express their uncomfort by crying and desire to be lifted...As if God has been training them all these months..

The way child expresses his desire to go in someone's arm and refuses to stay in some is again unexplainable. How they recognise the touch and warmth of their parents is amusing .. As if they already share a bond with them. Wow ! I just find these little things so amazing.

How his face lights up to see his dad around and his eagerness to go in his arms speaks volumes about how much he long to be with his father. I can clearly see when he misses him while he is away and jumps with joy mere at the mention of his name.

fathers have a heart to heart connection with the child, They unknowingly teach a responsibility, ethics, how to live life and be tough like a man and lot more to a child that they aspire to become just like their fathers.

They are the biggest role models for their children as they might not teach them the way to live life but set an example for them by leading a life they might desire.

I feel blessed to have a husband who turned out to be an even better father. He has always been there and  been equally involved as a parent as much as I do. Yeah! There have been times when he couldn't be by my side due to time constraints and work responsibilities but he has always taken care of our needs and desires even while away. And only we know how much he wants to be around us and miss his family as much we miss him while he is away.

Fathers need to be appreciated as much as mothers do and hence this post is dedicated to all the dads in the world, who are heroes in the eyes of their sons and daughters and even their wives.

         
     "To the World, You are a DAD

                    
        To our Family, You are the WORLD"

                                                                   Happy Father's Day! 

Review - Globe Trotters Box 'Australia'

As a kid did you ever wish to explore the world? If yes how many of us would have got lucky to be able to do so.

Travelling is fun, it's indeed the best form of learning however it isn't practically possible to travel every existing country. But when it comes to kids and their global exposure we don't want our kids to lag behind either. So what's the easiest possible way out?

How about if I say you have a choice of exploring the world sitting within the comforts of your beautiful home and keeping your kids engaged at the same time with some fun learning and play. Sounds interesting isn't it!

Yes I am about to share something that will not only satisfy your desires of travelling the world but will also provide you a hands on experience of living those moments as a traveler.

I have tried many activity boxes for my child but believe me the concept of exposing kids to different countries caught my eye. This is definitely a brilliant way for kids to explore the world and get them to learn as they play. ..

So when I decided to collaborate with the Globe Trotters Box  to review their product, They send us a box of our choice that we picked from the rest. Though my boy had a tough time picking one, he was too excited to see them all but we decided to go with Australia for now.


"Globe Trotters" as the name suggests takes your child on a journey around the world through their uniquely designed activity box..  which is a great way to introduce children to different countries in the world.


So here we go on an adventurous journey through the Australia Box that arrived at our doorstep.

Here's how the box looks from the outside. My little one jumped with joy at the first look of the box and couldn't wait to know what's in there?

This time he jumped even higher to see the very well placed postcard, welcome letter and a passport right beneath. Well I wasn't surprised as I myself was equally thrilled to see a old styled vintage letter welcoming us to Australia. Addressed by the Globe Trotters mascot Moozoos Oyo,Wak and Zu the letter shared information about the country and also a brief of activities that we can look forward to doing in the box.

Check out the passport that looks pretty awesome for a child to own one. Not that he doesn't have one but how many times do they get to play with the real passport. He was so excited to fill in his details and started looking for his pic to stick in there. And I can see how it feels to carry a passport while you are all set to explore another country.

Looking at the contents of the box I can clearly feel the amount of time and thinking that must have gone in designing the box. Globe Trotters Box have made sure they give a child an experience of the place they are exploring through the activities that are the part of the box. Every activity is country based and makes sure it's an overall learning for your little child.

I will take you through all the activities that came along the box and how did we fair in all of those.


Colour Your Own Boomerang Art Kit

To begin with we learned the natives of Australia are called 'Aboriginal' who have been living there for thousands of years. Boomerang is the weapon used by these native people to hunt animals, whereas it's also used to decorate using colourful dots and patterns that specifically referred to as 'Aboriginal art'.

My little one tried his hands at new form of art that he got introduced to through Australian's native that is specifically referred to as Aboriginal art. While colouring his own in the given pattern was fun for him, He enjoyed using it like a boomerang in his own creative style.

Throwing it in a particular style over his toy animals and enacting to hunt them in Aboriginal style.


Make your own Mini Aquarium Kit

Australia, the largest island in the world is home to Great Barrier Reef. Hence Mozoos send us this beautiful looking kit so that we make our own mini Aquarium containing marine animals and fishes.

This was an easy and interesting activity that my son could do independently and was very happy to show me his little Marin world that he created with ease. He has placed this cute little mini Aquarium on his study table and planning to add on more shells that he could easily collect during our next trip to the beach.

Make Your Own Rainstick Kit

'Rainsticks' are aboriginal music instruments made from hollow pipes that sounds like a rainfall. This was the prettiest to look at and honestly I couldn't guess looking at the material that it's gonna turn into some kind of music instrument.

This activity needed some craft work and decoration. With my little help my son was able to make his own beautiful looking 'Rainstick'. A very good activity to improve child's fine motor skills and enhance creativity.

 That wasn't all !  He also insisted on dressing up like an Australian native and sang some songs trying to match up with the music that his rainstick created. Will reveal the look soon .. until then

keep going! 

Aboriginal Symbol Sudoku Puzzle

These symbols are used by natives of Australia to tell a story of their culture. Each symbol has a meaning and can easily convey a message if used correctly.


The activity needed us to stick the symbol stickers on each wooden piece and than solve the different patterns of sudoku puzzles given in the book.

This was an awesome activity. Different from the rest of the activities that threw a challenge at him of solving the puzzles and he loved it. Initially he found it a little unusual but once he could solve the first puzzle, it became more of a fun activity and he ended up having great fun.

Australian Map and Flash Cards 

This was another awesome activity that my child loved. Since he is learning about maps and different locations in the world, this got him interested.

 Locating different places, animals, monuments and famous landmarks on the map given in the flash cards surely enriched his knowledge about Australia. Now he knows every single detail about this largest island in the world. I am super happy to see him learn so much while at play.

Premium Wall Sized World Map and Stickers 

He was truly enthralled to see an illustrated world map. We have already placed it on the wall right next to my little reader's study table.

We had a globe at home but map of this size was on my mind as he is already started with maps and learning about different locations. We had fun playing games asking each other to locate different items from the world map key. We ended up having so much fun doing this activity and it was a great way to spend time together as a family.

Australia Souvenir 

After all the fun, Globe Trotters surprise their little tourists with a souvenir. And here's ours that arrived with the Australia Box, "A Koala Mask"

This was a very thoughtful addition to the kit. How can one's travel be complete without a souvenir. We might have collected many but this certainly belongs to my little boy. He was all happy and excited to have his own koala mask that he can wear all day long.

                                                                   My Review

• I personally loved the box and more so the concept behind to expose kids to different cultures and countries in the world

• A very well planned and designed keeping in mind the basics like a welcome letter, a passport makes a great impression on the child who feels important and it gives a real feel to the whole idea.

• The premium sized world map along with the country map is the perfect way to get kids interested in geography and map reading that eventually helps them learn and locate various countries and continents on the map.

• Activities are designed keeping in mind the different aspects of the child's imagination and learning, focusing on areas like art, craft, DIY and number puzzles that enhances creativity, fine motor skills, imagination, memory building and most importantly learning about the world.

• Activities are child friendly and age specific that can be done independently except at some places where parents might want to join in the journey and encourage the child in their creative ways.

• The box provides all the material that's required for the activities included along with easy instructions followed by pictures stepwise for child's understanding.

• As far as the learning goes, the country specific details helps the child to visualise the country, its culture and people. It gets the child interested in learning more about the country and surrounding places.

I definitely recommend this activity box to parents who are looking for something different from the regular activity boxes. It's a complete new idea that promises loads of fun and learning.

In fact, I myself would like to explore the other countries along with my child cause we had super fun while touring Australia.

                                          Highlights of our journey to Australia

The Globe Trotters boxes are also available for other countries including US, UK, France, Egypt, Japan, France, Italy and Greece. These can easily be subscribed either on a monthly or an yearly subscription.

For further details you can visit their website www.globetrottersbox.com

So hurry up! and surprise your little one at home with this exciting activity box by Globe Trotters and let their holidays be full of fun and learning. So Lets Create Play Learn!

Book Review - "UNNS The Captivation" by Sapan Saxena

Theme

A classic tale of love and romance marked beautifully by its own rustic old school charm. The book is a romantic fiction with a clear mix of love, betrayal, suspense and drama with an interesting end. As the name suggests "Unns"- the captivation, it does keeps you on the edge with twists and turns that are just unpredictable. The book takes you through the different stages of love in a very unique way that was a complete new experience for me as a reader.


Main Characters


Atharva, the protagonist is a sharp, intelligent and a matured boy who falls for Meher during Adolescence. The perfect combination of intelligence, grounded by values and emotions is my favourite character in the book.

Meher, a bold and a strong headed girl with great personality finds her lover in Atharva who was equally fond of her intelligence and beauty.

Professor Miyaz, Dev and Vasu are the other important characters among others who take the story forward as a part for the Raw mission and further on.


Plot

Love strikes them during adolescence and the lovebirds Atharva and Meher starts  spending most part of their lives together. However it didn't last long. Soon they were separated as Meher decides to go by their parents wish who were against their relationship. Meher breaks all her contacts with Atharva and leaves the country with her parents. The whole episode leaves Atharva shattered and heartbroken who was genuinely in love with Meher and dreamt of spending his whole life with her.


Fifteen years later, Destiny brings them together once again. Atharva Rathod a RAW agent meets Meher Qasim during one of his assignments in Germany. Atharva's love for Meher hadn't changed a
bit ... he had lived all those memories from the past in last fifteen years and his love for Meher was still as fresh as it was... When life gave him another chance to win his love after so many years, he couldn't let it go.

They discover everything about each other that had happened in past years... Meher's heartfelt apology for walking away from his life years back strengthened the bond that they shared during school days. Just when Atharva thought he is on the verge of getting the love of his life back ... something happens that changes the course of the story. ... Do they unite and live happily ever after ? Or life has its own plans ? Read to find this captivating tale of love and emotions while they meet and depart due to circumstances .


Review

"Unns- the Captivation" is a beautifully written tale of love and betrayal. Being just the second book of the author, I felt the book is a perfect combination of romance, drama, suspense that offers its readers a thrilling experience. The cover of the book is very well designed by Ajitabha Bose. I personally felt the cover is very captivating and catches readers attention immediately. The name of the chapters got me confused initially, However after reading the book it made complete sense and felt appropriate. The seven stages of love got me thinking too.. I had never heard of those stages but after reading the book, I liked the writers approach towards the in depth emotions of love and its way of expression.

The only thing that confused me about this story was the vague endings and the beginnings of the scenes. Few grammatical glitches could have been avoided looking at the good language of the book. Author has tried to bring an effect of a cinema through his narration however it fails to express the desired result especially while narrating the Raw mission.

Overall, it's a great story for anyone who likes romantic thrillers and contemporary fiction. It will definitely make for a great read for youngsters, couples or anyone who believes in love.


Quotes from the book 

“If the intent is right, why waste time thinking about the consequences.”

“You have been the summary of my entire existence; my biggest weakness, my greatest strength. The weathers of my life start and end with you. You complete me.”

“Sometimes, it’s worth living the dreams, tasks, hopes or ambitions of the people you love, however unjustifiable or stupid they may sound. Sometimes, it’s worth completing what they stood up for. That is the best gift you can give to the people you love."

“That girl who doesn’t even understand my language properly, understands my heart, but the one who should, doesn’t even try”

“I never thought of a future without you. That was the reason I always lived in the present, hoping I would find you someday.”


About the author

The book is authored by Sapan Saxena who is a software engineer by profession and an author by choice. Sapan started writing while his engineering days and penned a fictional story. Unns the captivation is his second attempt of writing fiction. Originally from the city of nawabs, Lucknow, He is currently based in Hampshire and is an acclaimed author of the book Finders, Keepers. The book Unns the captivation is published by Inspire India.

I received a copy from Writersmelon in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

My review of the book 'UNNS- the captivation' can also be read at
Goodreads and Amazon .