Magic of Vacations- Children !

A good vacation is a vacation with kids…

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The roars of laughter , the mischief, the storming, the banter , the voice , the smiles of our children is what counts when we are going on a vacation. A vacation with family is the best vacation.
Our parents often took vacations only when we had summer holidays , just not that back in our childhood, our elders made sure all the big weddings took place during the kids vacations so everybody could enjoy their holidays with children. Children just add the magical touch ! A vacation without them would be empty!
And hence as we grew up we got accustomed to the belief that there’s no vacation without the kids. But in order to make sure that the trip planned is fun , safe and enjoyable its important to ensure a few things.
A few things to keep in mind while travelling with kids to ensure they enjoy themselves would be their safety, how they must be entertained in order to not get them snapping and out of control (trust me this is where they have second thoughts on the vacation thing with kids ;) , the travel and the food . etc.
Safety first: Safety is definitely the first measure when it comes to travelling with kids. You can’t enjoy a vacation when you know your kids aren’t safe. Pack all you need, the medications, the snacks and talk to your kids about safety if your travelling by air. And most importantly never let your kids out of sight, saves you a lot of trouble and worry.
Travel Trip tricks : Make sure you get your children to catch their quality sleep when travelling ! it really helps. The food will help them to take it off to the sleep spot. Hence its important you schedule your trip accordingly.
Entertainment, entertainment and some more entertainment : You have no idea how fast kids get bored, ha forget the kids I get bored even faster than them , wait I am a grown up kid too. :P That is why I get bored ! *realisation* Jokes apart they really tend to get bored very fast and its important to take the important measures. Animated movie Dvd’s , scrabble or chess boards and story books are a great way!
Feed the fairies: Food my dear is what seals the deal for us children ;) Good food and half of the travelling has already been awesome :P :D The problem is that kids are picky. “I don’t like sweets “(So annoying! –.- ) “I don’t eat ice cream “(I would kill such kids! , I mean what on earth ! You don’t like icecream?! what the hell honey?!) “I dislike veggies” ( Yeah baby that’s more like it ! Hifi!) So you see. That’s the problem. Make sure you have restaurants nearby to suit the food tastes of your kids
Stay at a sweet ( suite;) place : Also its important to keep in mind about the place you’ll be staying at. Kids can create a big fuss, so its better not to choose a posh , upscale hotel will probably not be as kid-friendly  , so its better to use our correct judgment while choosing one. Choose among the best of best that has all the amenities to keep your kids entertained.
And now I just can’t wait for the vacations. ^_^

This post is a part of Indi Happy hours in relation to Club Mahindra’s Teddy travelogue’s !

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Bachpan Ki diwali

I love when it’s the festive season ! Lots of offers , discounts on my favorite online shopping portals, shopping, sweets , gifts, although I have celebrated diwali just twice in the whole of my life t, every time it has been a happy experience mingling in the the festivity of this festival! In this yaadon ki baraat when Indiblogger wanted us to recount happy times we had during diwali all I could think was my bachpan ! Those were the best days of my life. *sigh*

When I was a child I used to run away from home exactly when the clock struck seven. We used to count hours until it was dark.  It was a magnificent sight to watch all those gaily decorated houses with diyas, lights and rangoli. We used to run along the neighborhood watching everybody burst crackers but it was not until my bestie invited me to share the festive spirit when I was in 8th grade
My most memorable Diwali would be the very first one during my childhood. It was when my best friend Namitha took me to her home for a stay period of two days ,( ofcourse which was after a lot of kajoling my mom :D) It was one hell of a time !


Coming from a muslim family, I had had no previous exposure to this festival, hence its no wonder it was my most memorable Diwali! I had the time of my life making earthen diyas at her home and painting them with myriad colors ! It was a Colorful diwali clicking pictures with her cheery little cousins , that was not all we even listened to dhoom dhaka songs on radio and danced on them wearing the best of desi wear. Not to forget crushing over her very good looking cousins looking dashing in their desi wear ;) There was much fun and laughter, and the positive energy was infectious. We got completely caught up in the joy of it all… I enjoyed myself thoroughly.
We even ended up making hand make happy diwali cards for her cousins school teachers  ! it was so much fun mingling and laughing with a family !

We did everything from getting naughty to lighting crackers in our hands and throwing them into the air just before they burst , to helping her mom make the most delicious south indian sweets which included delicious coconut barfis , Mysore paaks or murukkus .

It was then I realized that this festival is what gives us time to spend our carefree, joyful times and happy memories in the company of family and friends,which would be made more exciting with new clothes, an abundance of festive food and fireworks. It ended with, you guessed it, plenty of happy ghar wali memories!
LIGHTS! PHOTOGRAHS ! GIFTS !  FOOD! DIYAS ! Is all what sums up to a #Gharwalidiwali
I watched a close knit family getting even more closer that day. There was no doubt A #GharWaliDiwali is the best best version of a diwali :) It is true a festival is incomplete without a family.



celebrate this Diwali with this beautiful and touching video. It will leave a warm imprint on your heart.
Click here to know more about this fabulous initiative by Pepsi & Kurkure.
Happy Diwali !

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Mud makes me happy: Recapturing Childhood

I have always fancied mud. As a child I used to love spending weekends running to the parks and running back home carrying huge loads of mud during the rainy season . And then me and my friends used to spend hours painting  it, digging in it, making kitchen utensils .
Mud used to be my favorite medium of art, one that I could mold, dry, and decorate. Unlike many other medium, mud permits us to make mistakes. We can experiment repeatedly, knowing there is a limitless free supply. 
So when last week when I spotted one of my neighboring kid carrying a pot full of mud , I asked her what she was doing with the mud and I later on ended up talking her into bringing some of the mud over to my home . I so badly wanted to do something childish :D It had been years since I had indulged in the joy of playing with mud.
Who said playing with mud was just for kids?! Mud is one thing that connects us directly with the natural world.
Playing in the mud has its own benefits! 

Kyunki daag acche hote hai :’)
And on Saturday when she came over to my house I jumped with joy like a little girl who is all set to go on an adventure ! 
Pouring water, and then mixing the mud , making sure the water is not in abundance and the mud doesn't loose its thickness.WOW. 

I squealed with delight when we had finished with are art work. It was not at all fancy but the memory of playing with mud will always be cherished.

Throwing mud, sliding around in it, building things with it and cooking things in the utensils we make out of mud is so much fun .
The making…
   
Today will forever be a happy memory treasured . It makes me realize I am still a child at heart,that is, the way I want to be my whole life.
The final touches……
The touch ups ..

The fine outcome…

Think back to your own childhood.  Do you have happy memories of playing in the mud and the dirt?  After all, making mud pies is one of the iconic images of childhood. :-)

It is important we take some time out to enjoy a few heartfelt things which make us happy :-)
                 “Life is made up of marble and mud ~Nathaniel Hawthorne”

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