Read on for a rant. Yes, I’ve got my cranky pants on and for good reason. I don’t understand why men think that it is okay to put women down, to not value them, to not help out and to believe due to sex it is all the woman’s job to organise the house and more!
A friend of ours popped over and while chatting I was madly folding the laundry in the living room.
I’ve been super busy like most mums and hadn’t folded the laundry, although all clean it was in a pile and some were partially folded. I thought why not try and get rid of it all and put it away, and at the same time have a chat.
This is not me, and never has been me. Men are still thinking that this is women. Cooking, caring and being a dedicated housewife/housekeeper. It is 2019 not 1950’s.
I joined in the conversation and mentioned to hubby while our mate was over that he packed a pair of the twin’s undies in Alexander’s bag and they would have been too big. I was saying that he should check the clothes to ensure that our little boy has the right clothes, jumper, adequate numbers of undies, tops and pants.
Our friend then said men cannot do this and therefore women are much better suited to housework and organising all the items for the kids. It was said that men cannot do this type of work.
I’m not sure why this is the case? Also my first thought was what fucking bullshit!
Are men missing limbs that make it hard for them to pick up items, to help out, to tidy up, help organise items for kids school bags? Or at the very least pack a lunch for a child to go to preschool.
Men are not special beings and therefore should be able to cook, clean, tidy and do everything that comes with living with others in a house.
It’s not terribly difficult work, although boring and not that exciting. However, it needs to be done! And not just by one person!
I asked hubby to pack a lunch for our little boy and he freaked out, and said what do I do? I am not sure why this is an issue to panic about. It’s just a packed lunch. Sort it out. It’s bloody simple actually.
In my opinion, I think acting stupid and lost (otherwise known as Strategic Incompetence) about an easy task means that others will do the work for you and therefore you get out of doing it. Men do this all the time, does it happen at your place?
Responding to our mutual friend I said I don’t like housework either, and why does having a penis means you are exempt?
Just an excuse to not do things in my book. Hopeless and fucking rude really!
I think we should have a detachable penis to ensure we don’t have to do shit housework all day too. I want to sit and do nothing and have someone look after me too. What about you?
Being female doesn’t mean that I have an instant love for cleaning and tidying. I have never liked it and actually, I’m not the best at this at all. I struggle to do it all and would prefer to be doing anything other than housework.
Maybe I need to adopt the panic that anyone with a penis shows me when I ask them to help or do something.
If I too look so lost, others will do the work and I can sit down and stare for hours at my phone or computer while drinking a beer, claiming that it is important work that I am doing so therefore cannot be interrupted.
Geez, it is 2019 and men are still sexist dickheads believing that women are the housekeeper and slave for everyone. I’ve got 2 degrees, I’m very smart and have other ambitions than to cook, clean and to race around for everyone else.
Do you see how lost people with penises get when asked to do something they don’t want to do? Do they claim they have no idea how to work the dishwasher, washing machine, or make a lunch box for the kids? And many other things.
I know some men are very capable so this is not directed at those that actually help the household to be more harmonious for all that live there. If you live in the house you need to contribute to help it run more smoothly.
Let me know what you’ve asked to be done and what inventive answers you have received?
I do believe that we as women need to give this stupid behaviour back to the men that dish it out.See what they say when I cannot help them when we look lost and panicked too about a certain task. Insert evil laugh!
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How are you going? Are you surviving the school holidays? I have had moments when it has all gone to hell and I’ve wanted to run to the hills and not come back for a while.
However, even with the annoyance and angst, I’ve been trying to embrace the holiday spirit and my mantra for this year…be happier.
I’ve been spending more time with the kids and family, hence why I haven’t posted recently. Sorry for the lack of updates.
I have been taking the kids to parks, movies, organising play dates, parties, sleepovers, I got tickets so kids can do some science at the local botanic gardens and much more!
One thing that is doing my head in is the arguments and one-upmanship between the twins. It is really annoying, exhausting and frustrating to say the least. Are you in the same boat with your kids?
Do you find that a good stiff drink is in order after a tumultuous session with the kids not hearing anything you say? Oh, and when no one answers your questions, even when they are right next to you!
Even with the frustrations that holidays bring it has been relaxing and happy experience. We have spent time with friends and family and also managed to have a sleep in on a few days (So this is a win in my book).
Alexander had his birthday party and is now a three-year-old. He was very happy that his two mates from childcare could come to his party, and it was so adorable to see all three of them play in the park with each other. Three cute little people taking walks and chatting and playing amongst themselves, they were super busy doing important playthings.
I still cannot believe the girls will be entering grade 5 soon, they are getting so grown up and soon primary will be finished for both of them. Only this year and next and then they are off to high school.
Hope you’re having a good break and spending some fun time with family these school holidays. If you are having painful moments like me, I hope that they don’t last long or you can get a break for a bit.
Coming up next on the blog is are my tales of helping two ten years old’s with their new Harry Potter LEGO sets, it was a long, exhausting, frustrating and at times rewarding experience. It really ends up as a tale of woe from all sides. I’m sure all mums and dads that have tried to assist a child with LEGO will understand the ups and downs of this fine line you walk between taking over or just helping.
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Being active is so important, walking, playing sport and just moving is ideal.
It is said that you should do 10,000 steps each day. I am not sure I get close to that at all times, sometimes close and other times I just try and move and do some exercise every day.
My kids wanted to get a Vívofit Jr. due to other kids at school having them.
It tracks how many steps and minutes of activity you do.
If you do 60 minutes of activity or more you get a certain number of moves in an online game.
You can track chores and assign pocket money or if you don’t wish to pay money you can take kids to an event, movie or special outing.
The kids wanted one so that they could compete with their friends at school.
It’s also to waterproof so kids can wear while swimming or in the shower.
We decided that it the Vivofit was a good idea, and purchased one each for the girls just before they were nine. The girls love their activity watches and find it fun to hit goals.
What the girls have loved about the new vívofit® jr. 2
The new Star Wars themed game and characters on the activity watch.
It has colour now on the screen. The original vívofit jr. the screen is just black and white.
With the new colour screen when you hit a goal you get fabulous fireworks to celebrate.
You can get adjustable bands for your new activity watch so that your child can grow with it.
“The app experience corresponds with the style of band you choose. That means the fun never has to end. Purchase additional vívofit jr. 2 bandsto let your kiddo enter a whole new world of app adventures.”
Having cool characters from Star Wars is a plus, my kids are mad Star Wars fans.
The Garmin Vívofit jr. 2 is so easy to setup and start using.
All you need to do is to download the app from the app store, available for iPhones and on Google Play.
Pair the device and then set it up with name and details for the child that is going to wear it.
You can choose an avatar, pick a name (or nickname) and once done all good to go.
If you already had the original Vivofit Jr. all you have to do is to pair the device and set it up and then it will show up on the app.
The girls called their new trial Jeff, or otherwise known as BB-8 Vívofit jr. 2.
You can set up chores and also reminders for kids that need that extra boost to do a chore.
I just synced the girl’s info from their Garmin Vívofit jr’s to get all the updated info. As you can see Jeff hit 2 goals today.
From the above image, you will see that the number in blue on the far right-hand side is the number of moves each child has in their online game.
Moves in the game are dependent on how much activity you have done.
The BB-8 Star Wars game on the Garmin Vívofit jr. 2
After monitoring the kid’s activity for a while I can clearly see that they go above and beyond 10,000 steps per day.
The kid who was wearing Jeff or otherwise known as the Star Wars BB-8 Garmin vívofit jr. 2 did 13,080 steps on Monday the 2nd of July! Yep, that’s a lot of steps. No wonder the kids are tired after school.
The activity watches also monitor sleep patterns, after a while you can easily see if your kids are getting deep sleep or constantly waking.
The kids are sad that we have to send this tester back to Garmin.
I know you can picture it but I can hear it, the tears and the constant pestering to get the new versions. Maybe we need to get the new Garmin Vívofit jr. 2 for their 10th birthday (I still cannot believe my babies will be 10 soon)
I must say that the version 2 of Garmin’s Vivofit Jr is better than the original, although the kids still love both. I think the introduction of colour and the ability to have bands change the game you play is a fab idea.
If you haven’t it would make an awesome present and help kids be more active.
Kids have iPads, computers and the television to watch and it is all more screens. Having something that helps kids get outdoors and away from screens is fabulous.
Ohhhh and having chores and incentives attached is a plus for any parent.
You can set up chores and also reminders for kids that need that extra boost to do a chore.
We loved testing the new Garmin Vívofit jr. 2. the kids had so much fun with the new BB-8 Star Wars Activity Tracker.
Note: You can get replacement bands and have access to all new games on the Vivofit jr. 2. The girls were so taken with the new version of the Garmin vivofit jr 2’s that I got them a Marvel Avengers one for their birthday this year.
Get a replacement adjustable band that allows you to play new games and have a whole new look. The twins now have the Marvel Avengers Garmin Vivofit jr 2.
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Model Citizen was part of The Sydney Festival. The festival is a month-long art and cultural celebration that have free, cheap events, and workshops.
Previous to going to the show I told the girls about Circus Oz. Circus Oz is a circus with no animals, the circus consists of acrobats, performers, entertainers, musicians, and more!
Waiting to see the show.
This year Circus Oz is celebrating their 40th year. The circus was formed in 1978 in Melbourne, read more about Circus Oz’s history.
What is Model Citizens all about?
The show starts with a whole group of people that are wearing similar looking clothes and all act the same. They all act happy and seem to be interacting with each other well.
Then suddenly a stranger is introduced to this group of people or maybe I should say society, they are not too fond of this stranger.
The model citizens want the stranger to wear the clothes that they wear. They give them a pair of blue overalls like the other model citizens are wearing.
Some highlights were when Freyja Edney used her special hypnotic powers while hula hooping. Freyja could manoeuvre a hula hoop around in her arm and it looked like it was gliding on air…it was magic and like no effort was used at all (although I know that this would have taken years and hours and hours of practice).
Not only did Freyja make a hula hoop look seamless in the air with barely any assistance, she flipped up hula hoops on the ground and shimmied until they were in different positions on her body.
She ended up having about 5-6 hula hoops all going on her body at the same time. It looked amazing.
Other highlights were the fabulous Mitch Jones with his escape from a straightjacket and also his super knife throwing. Tara Silcock was fabulous balancing parasols on her feet and toes in a giant martini glass.
Everyone was so amazing to watch. The acrobats, balancing on the string and then the artists on the trapeze made us all oohhhh and aahhhhh!
Everyone seemed to be able to do multiple jobs, sing, dance, be a strong acrobat by holding others on their heads or other parts of their bodies.
Circus Oz is full of extremely talented people. It is a fun and entertaining show and an excellent family event.
Go and have fun with the family, you will be so glad you did.
PRINCE ALFRED SQUARE CIRCUS OZ BIG TOP
CNR CHURCH STREET AND MARKET STREET
PARRAMATTA 2510
WHEN
WED, THU, FRI, SAT AT 7.30PM (EXCEPT 18 & 26 JANUARY)
SUN AT 3PM
SAT AND WED AT 1.30PM (EXCEPT 3 JANUARY)
18 & 26 JANUARY AT 1.30PM
AUDIO DESCRIBED: 12 JANUARY AT 7.30PM (TACTILE TOUR AT 6.45PM) & 20 JANUARY AT 1.30PM (TACTILE TOUR AT 12.45PM)
AUSLAN INTERPRETED: 20 JANUARY AT 1.30PM
DURATION: 2 HRS 20 MINS WITH INTERVAL
TICKETS
RINGSIDE $90
PREMIUM ADULT $80/ CONC $70/ CHILD $65
A RES ADULT $60/ CONC $50/ CHILD $45
B RES ADULT $45/ CONC $40/ CHILD $35
A RES FAMILY (2 ADULTS & 2 CHILDREN) $170
B RES FAMILY (2 ADULTS & 2 CHILDREN) $110
RESTRICTED VIEW $35
+ BOOKING FEE
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Check out my Q & A article, it was so that the lovely Kiddipedia readers can get to know me.
I know many of you might already know some of these things that I mentioned in this post, but some might not. Take a read and learn more about me and the blog.
Each month I will be posting a new article on the Kiddipedia website. I hope you pop over to read my new articles.
While you are there, please take the time to look at all the wonderful resources that this great parenting resource offers.
Kiddipedia is very thrilled to announce our partnership with Mummy to Twins Plus One.
Founded by Suzanne, this blog was created as a project for her to work on and a way to document what is happening with her and the children.https://t.co/ApZ3pzgqdO#MummyToTwinsPlusOnepic.twitter.com/b6wGgVPWOZ
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Today is the first day of the new year. It is finally the first of January 2018.
In six days my little boy will be two…yep we will have a two year old. How those two years have flown by already. He is saying more words, being more independent and of course a very cheeky, funny little boy.
It feels like the day of my little boys birthday sneaks up on me and I am not ready. No invite done, no party organised. I will have to get moving….also make a plan to be better at this January party in 2019.
The girls turn ten this year, yes finally they will be in double digits and more grown up. I don’t know how ready I am for more grown up kids, I suppose it is good that it happens gradually so that you get used to it.
The blog also has a HUGE year in 2018, it turns the big 10 years old… how exciting I hear you say.
To celebrate this fabulous milestone there will be great prizes for my wonderful devoted readers that have been with me over the years. Stay tuned every month to not miss out.
What did I do in 2017
Change the look of the blog on the 1st of January 2017. The blog got a whole new look and feel.
Work with some great brands and offer amazing giveaways to my readers.
Meet some wonderful people through the Problogger conference. I met Pat Flynn and Jadah Sellner…. I was very excited about doing this.
Accepted more opportunity.
Think, plan and try and do more.
Spent time with the kids, played and had fun.
Alexander had his first full year in childcare and loved it after a rocky first few months. He now really wants to go even when we just drive by the place. He yells, “play” and points to the building.
Try to de-clutter. I managed to rid the house and us of a few things but more still needs to happen.
Did things at the twins school.
Housework and all the other mundane things that keep the family running.
2017 was not good as I lost another friend due to cancer. He did not want to share his illness so to not burden friends and therefore hubby and I found out very late. We are saddend by this news. I hope that everyone is healthy and if you are worried about something please get it looked at. Early intervention might save your life. I have no idea if this would have helped my friend and upset for his other friends and family.
2017 was also a good year, my sister had her second child on the 23rd of December. I’m an aunty again! My sister had another little girl. She came early and therefore has spent some extra time in the hospital.
What would I like to do in 2018
More blogging.
Work on the strategy and plans for my blog and more.
Travel.
Meet more people.
Get our house built or part of it.
Finish writing my book and course…yes something exciting is on its way. I hope you will all love it.
Exercise more.
Remove excess clutter that I don’t need to empower more relaxation.
More meditation.
More relaxation.
Fun time with the kids and family
Hopefully a family holiday at some point.
That the family is healthy and well. (this includes everyone)
Be more organised for Alexander’s next birthday.
So take care everyone.
Spend time with the ones you love.
Make time for things you want to do.
Have fun and may 2018 be great for everyone!
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42,000 years into the past to be precise. How are we time traveling? Well, we don’t have a Delorean or a Tardis. Personally, this is a tragedy but not the end of the world.
Due to not having any of these fancy time travel machines, we will be roughing it by walking to our destination after parking the car.
How are we time traveling? Well, we don’t have a Delorean or a Tardis. Personally, this is a tragedy but not the end of the world. Due to not having any of these fancy time travel machines, we will be roughing it by walking to our destination after parking the car.
Due to not having any of these fancy time travel machines, we will be roughing it by walking to our destination after parking the car.
Woolly Mammoths Mural. Illustration by Velizar Simeonovski, The Field Museum.
So where are we off to that requires us to flash back thousands of years?
We are having a sneak peek at the Australian Museum’s latest exhibition. Yes, we are visiting a museum and in a way that means we are being whisked away in time. The kids, hubby and I are going to learn about the Mammoths – Giants of the Ice Age
The Mammoths – Giants of the Ice Age is an exhibition that is in partnership with Destination NSW, the Australian Museum (AAM’s) major exhibition will feature Lyuba , (pronounced Lay – oo – baa ) – a 40,000 – year – old baby woolly mammoth, discovered in 2007 by a Siberian herder and his two sons. This will be the first time the near fully intact baby mammoth has been on display in the southern hemisphere.
Lyuba , (pronounced Lay – oo – baa ) – a 40,000 – year – old baby woolly mammoth.
Fancy having history come to life and getting closer to what these animals would have been like.
Australia didn’t have mammoths, so this might be your only chance to see them.
What will you see at the exhibition?
Developed by the internationally renowned Field Museum in Chicago, the exhibition includes a rich collection of fossils, casts and cave drawings showing evidence of how early humans hunted and honoured these massive creatures. Mammoths lived alongside humans for thousands of years and were a source of food for early people, as well as artistic inspiration. Artwork dating from between 35,000 and 10,000 years ago will also be on display in the form of miniature carvings made of bone, stone and mammoth ivory from mammoth tusks. How amazing is it that this artwork has survived.
Did you know? Mammoths are an extinct group of elephants of the genus Mammuthus, whose ancestors migrated out of Africa about 3.5 million years ago.
This image of a human next to mammoths gives you an idea of how big they were. I must say I wouldn’t want to be next to one, it would be rather scary.
I cannot wait to show the kids these amazing and enormous animals. I’m also keen to learn more at the exhibition about what life must have been like alongside this massive creatures. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to be close to a mammoth and to learn more about the time, the animals and much more. Make sure that you don’t miss this amazing exhibit from the Australian Museum.
What are the dates of The Mammoths Giant of the Ice Age Exhibit
The Mammoths Giants of the Ice Age is open from 19th November 2017 to 13th May 2018
Book your ticket today to see the Mammoths – Giants of the Ice Age at the Australian Museum.
Get tickets to see this amazing event
You can purchase tickets online at the Australian Museum website. Online prices: Adult $10 AM Member, $20 non-Member, Concession $8 AM Member, $16 non-Member, Child 5+ $6 AM Member, $12 non-Member. Kids under 5 go free. Having this on the list of things to do for the soon to be summer school holidays is a good idea. I always like to have some good places to take the kids that they don’t normally go to often. A museum is a good excuse to stay in the city, relax at a swish hotel and have dinner out. Follow the blog on Instagram to see all the updates at the exhibition and while we are in the city.
A big thank you to The Australian Museum for our invite to look at the exhibit before it officially opens. We are all very excited and cannot wait.
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This isn't the truck at fault but just an image of a truck. I needed one for the post.
I had a thought last night that today was not going to be good.
My premonition was about me and the car.
I had a dream that I would have an accident and it would be bad. My instinct told me to stay at home and not to go anywhere.
One kid is sick, the other had to go to school and the baby of the family to childcare.
I couldn’t just stay at home.
I brushed off my feelings and just decided to be extra careful and hope that it was not true.
One of my girls helped me drop off the baby to care and then we were on way to school.
I was at the lights about to turn right onto the highway. The lights turned green and I started to move the car to turn onto the main road.
In a spilt second I realised that it was not safe.
A HUGE truck was going fast, well fast is an understatement. I think the driver was going well over 100 km and was not stopping.
This truck went through the red light and actually seemed to speed up when it went through the lights.
This isn’t the truck at fault but just an image of a truck. I needed one for the post.
Now remember this was a quick decision I made.
I looked up and noticed that the lights were green. I started going and then stopped.
I could have been half way in between the roads and nearly merging onto the highway. If this was the case I and one of my daughters would have been in the path of this truck.
A truck that didn’t slow down.
A truck that would have hit us even if he braked to avoid us.
It made me thankful for reacting the way I did.
It made me question why I left the house and didn’t listen to my inner voice to stay home.
I couldn’t shake the terrible near catostphere that could have happened.
It could have been horrible. Me dead, my little girl dead and hubby left to pick up the pieces.
After a very tentative drive to school, I carefully deposited one child to the world of learning and then carefully drove back for an appointment.
You might think my near death experiences ended there…. I kid you not, they didn’t.
I was crossing the road and did this on a zebra crossing. While I was crossing the road an old man drove through it while I was walking on it. Yep, talk about dangerous! See I should have listened to my feelings about danger, and stayed in bed.
However this whole traumatic day got me thinking. What would have happened if we were in an accident.
One kid at home, one kid at childcare and if me and the other child were indeed hurt or needing help, who contacts the husband? How long would it take someone to know who to call or to let people know.
I started to panic about the what if’s.
I knew that hubby told me ages ago to put ICE with his number in my phone.
What is ICE?
ICE stands for In Case of Emergency.You put in someone that can be contacted in an emergency. Police, Ambulances and other emergency people know to look for this to help contact loved ones and alert people in emergencies.
I thought I did but of course never did. So today was the day. I have added ICE in my phone with hubby’s name, mobile number and place of work. Adding place of work I thought would help if he was not answering his mobile, they could ring the switch room and get a message to him.
Put emergency contacts in your phone under the contact ICE – Incase of Emergency. Help out the emergency staff that are there to help you. Let them call your loved ones and tell them where you are.
I’m very happy and grateful that we are okay. I am exhausted and have been replaying the whole event over and over in my head.
It was a split second decision.
One that I am glad I made. If I kept on going I don’t think I would be here, and either would one of my girls.
Our light was green. We had the right to go. This still meant nothing when a truck zooms or more like breaks the speed of light going through a red light.
It has made me think all day about how things can change so quickly. A decision not to stop or a decision to go, maybe I should have just stayed home.
On a lighter note
I was very happy that both my beautiful girl and I are still breathing and we are all okay. We are fine.
I decided to put on a lottery ticket to see what might happen. Some numbers were picked due to today, as I think the universe is trying to tell me something. Not sure if it is saying take care or something else.
I’m sure the universe gave me the warning for a reason and I have been listening.
Wish me luck on the lottery tickets, I picked some numbers from today and then did an auto pick. Maybe the universe can decide on my winning numbers too.
Do you sometimes have dreams or visions of a warning of some kind, be it a car accident, or falling and hurting yourself or something different? Have you listened to these dreams that are trying to tell you something?
I think I should have just stayed at home. Next time I will!
If you had a close call like I did, what happened? I hope you are all okay and that all ended up fine.
I know that we are all good and things are not an issue but I am still on edge due to the freaky incident this morning. I think my body has freaked out and I’m exhausted now.
A drink and a lie down is in order.
This drink and a lie down has to be put on hold until tonight though (need to be a responsible parent and pick up kids)
I hope this helps you know to add an emergency contact under ICE in your phone contacts and maybe do the wallpaper on your phone with the details if your phone is password protected.
Thanks for reading, this mumma is going to have a cup of tea and a good rest before I pick up kids again.
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I enjoy looking at the real estate magazines, online listings, television shows onrenovationsand buying property.
It is an obsession actually, and one that I think I annoy my family with daily.
You never know, learning all about property might come in handy when I get mega rich and have a hugeproperty portfolio.
Looking for a new home is a lot of work. Using the Inspection Manager App will help you have everything in one place, and easy to share.
Looking for property
If you are currently on the hunt for a house or an apartment, it is hard to keep track of all the places you have seen. They tend to blur into the others and you lose track of the ones that you preferred.
The best things to do when you are on the search for your dream house or possible addition to your property portfolio are the following:
Take photos.
Make notes on what was good and bad.
Create reports of the houses/apartments that you have seen.
Is this your next dream house or an addition to the property portfolio?
Making time to analyse and know what properties will work for you is crucial to getting the best possible place for you and your family.
When searching for the next house for the family, some things to look at are:
How the house will grow with the family. Will the number of rooms be adequate for now and later?
If the answer to the question above is “Yes, the house is fine,” then that is great. However, if the answer is a maybe or no, estimate if the house needs renovation or dramatic improvement.
If the house needs major renovations, you need to consider the answers to these questions: Will this house still be in budget if I have it renovated? If renovations are to be done, what would the new value of the house be? Considering the area, growth and improvement, is this a good purchase?
Make sure that if you are planning to have more children that you think of more bedrooms for future kids.
If you are wanting an office or workspace, this needs to be factored into the decision as well.
Visit the area multiple times and make sure you do it on different times of day and days of the week. Sometimes, places are nice and quiet on weekdays but are noisy at night and on weekends.
If you are having a tree change or sea change, make sure that you become familiar with the new area and don’t purchase in a place that is not what you thought it was.
Being close to highways and noisy streets is always something to think about. If you are happy with the quiet in the house and it does not bother you, that is fine. However, this might be a deal-breaker for some and documenting that the house is in close proximity to roads and so on might be helpful when making a decision.
Inspection Manager is an app that helps real estate professionals and average home buyers.
What can you do with Inspection Manager?
Create reports easily and sync to your other devices.
Take notes while at the house or apartment and import photos so that you can save them for the future.
No need to have a notepad, camera or other items. All you need is your device with the Inspection Manager app and it will compile everything for you–photos, notes and more.
You can even dictate comments straight to the app and the words will be written for you. How easy is that?
The Inspection Manager App.
If you are like hubby and I, we saw what felt like hundreds of houses before we purchased our dream home.
The Inspection Manager app would have come in handy when I was house hunting.
Many times I looked at a few places on my own and the app would have made summarising what was good and bad about each place easy.
When I was looking at the house we are currently living in, there were no smartphones or iPads (Gosh this makes me sound old).
I was making lists with a pen and paper and taking photos with the digital camera.
Having the Inspection Manager app would have meant I could give a breakdown of each property to hubby, and he could see each listing with photos and notes. It would be like he was there as well, although not really.
It is the next best thing to keep tabs on the houses you have seen and dismiss the ones that are not right for you.
See how easy it is to create reports for multiple locations
If you are a property manager, this app will make your life so much easier. Do the reports as soon as you get back to the office and in record time.
This app is not just for the real estate professionals. You can also keep tabs on your own property portfolio or the houses that you are looking at for your dream home.
An example of what you can do with the Inspection Manager App. Make notes and keep a log of items at each property.
Set up an account with Inspection Manager
Before you download the app to try it (You can test it out for 30 days to see how you like it!), you need to register with Inspection Manager and get your login details.
To do this, it asks you a few things like company name, contact details, company logo, staff details if you have them, and payment details for after the 30-day trial period.
The Inspection Manager app is available to download at theApp Store for iOS devices and Google Play for Android devices. (IM PLUS BETA Unreleased – this is the new version of the app.)
I hope this app will serve as a tool to help you find your next house or, if you are a real estate professional, a way to make your job easier.
This post was in collaboration with Inspection Manager.
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It is always nice to have gifts that are unique. A gift that has meaning, and of course is special to you and others.
Creating a gift that is a work of art is even better.
How about decorating a handkerchief for dad, mum, or anyone!
This gift idea is not only just for dads but can be for mum, grandparents, friends or even as a teacher gift.
Yes, this idea is easily adapted to whoever you wish to give it to. It just depends on your imagination.
This simple DIY gift is super easy to create and won’t cost the earth.
Equipment Need:
Handkerchiefs – You can purchase some or even make some if you are crafty at sewing. I purchased plain white ones. You can get different colours with patterns if you wish and incorporate this into your design.
Cardboard or paper to put on desk to make sure that the pens don’t bleed onto the desk.
Before you get started with your design it is always advisable to think about what you would like to achieve.
Check out what I created below:
A Breakdown of my decorated handkerchief:
For my first attempt at decorating the handkerchief, I just stuck to patterns in one colour.
I alternated rows to give it a better visual effect.
As the handkerchief had a pattern on the border I decided to not decorate there and leave the pattern the way it was originally.
Once the patterns in the red colour were finished, I then added some text on one side of the handkerchief and did it on the other end, and it is upside down from each other. This was done on purpose to make sure the text can be read no matter which way you have the handkerchief.
I was going to iron the handkerchief afterwards to heat set but have read that this is not needed for the Sharpie pens.
One post that I read recommended leaving the decoration for an hour to set.
Lillian working on her masterpiece for daddy.
The twins have both decorated their own handkerchiefs for daddy and I think they look amazing.
If you need a quick gift I would give this a go. I’m sure he will not have anything like it and of course love the fact that it is such a personal gift.
Julia creating her own colourful handkerchief for daddy.
If you do create a handkerchief decorated with sharpies for Father’s Day it would be amazing if you could share your pictures on our Facebook Page. I am sure that we can gain inspiration from your creations.
My first attempt at using Stained Sharpie Pens to decorate a handkerchief for hubby.
Thanks for following another great craft idea from Mummy to Twins Plus One. Stay tuned for more on the blog soon.
Julia’s finished artwork on a handkerchief for Father’s Day.Lillian’s brightly coloured Sharpie coloured handkerchief for daddy.
I hope you enjoyed this post.
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I have spoken to many women about their pregnancy journey, and then their birth stories. Most of the things that they dreamt or thought about never actually happened.
While at Problogger last year (Alexander was eight months when I attended Problogger in 2016. I was having a funny conversation with other bloggers and the topic of my fears and worries while pregnant with baby three was discussed.)
New born baby – This cutie is looking very relaxed and has no idea about all the drama that went on before they were born.
When I was pregnant with the twins I had horrible thoughts. I watched a film when I was about five months pregnant and I ended up having terrible dreams. Now, this film was a horror film and just horrible really. One scene had a person put on a tea trolley or hospital trolley (never sure what to call them). In the film, this person met a terrible end and I found it hard to watch.
My dream was being on this trolley as a pregnant woman with twins. They were then trying to tell me that the babies were coming and if they didn’t come they would take matters into their own hands. I was shackled to the trolley and it was uncomfortable, scary, and freaky. They were going to cut me open to save the babies. I of course was screaming, NO! They are not ready. It is too early and stuff like this.
The room I was in was like the bottom of a hospital that was all tiled and not kept very clean at all, it also reminded me of some shows that use disused railway stations as it looked rather like those.
I woke very upset and was thankful it was a dream. Maybe horror films when pregnant is not a good idea!
Flash forward to being pregnant with Alexander and I had all sorts of concerns. They were the following:
Due to having one baby, this child will be HUGE and be horrible to have.
Since I thought that this child might be enormous I would need a C-Section.
The baby would not be head down and cause issues.
I knew that the baby was due on the 7th of January and had no idea that he would come exactly on his due date. I did have thoughts that I might have a New Year’s Day baby and be on the front page of the local paper.
“Local woman gives birth to the biggest baby on New Years’ Day 2016”.
As you can see I still was panicked about having a HUGE BABY!
Scans did show that my third child was indeed on the small side. This however did not relieve my very active imagination and concern.
I was fully aware that this was only one baby this time. This baby could spread themselves to every corner of my insides and be a record weight. I know… I was so fixated on the baby being too big.
I did have my reasons to be freaked out about the birth. The first birth (with the twins) was not fabulous and mind you birth is not pleasant on any level.
The midwifes at the local hospital kept on insisting due to age that certain things would happen and that it might be classified as a high-risk pregnancy. Oh, how silly I thought.
I have already had a high-risk pregnancy with twins and all was well. I do understand things can change but why freak out the mum to be with what ifs. I ended up having a very healthy pregnancy and all was well with our third little person.
If help or intervention was needed to save the baby or myself I would have not stood in their way, however if it is not needed and all is well, then I say let nature decide when the baby comes and don’t intervene.
Maybe the hospital helped with my visions of horrible things happening while pregnant? I think they contributed in a small way. Wanting me to be induced for no actual reason, saying that I will develop gestational diabetes due to age I’m sure was not helpful. For the record, I had my third child naturally on his estimated due date and was lucky not to get gestational diabetes.
All my concerns were unfounded.
My baby was tiny compared to what my brain thought it would be.
This is what happened. I had a normal to smaller sized baby that was very healthy. Lucky nothing went wrong and all my fears were unfounded.
All the scans kept on saying how small it was going to be, however, I could not tell myself that this would be the case. I was freaking myself out.
It also could have been the fact that my second pregnancy with Alexander lasted longer than my first. The twins were born at 34 weeks and 2 days. Alexander came exactly at the 40-week mark. This meant more time to grow. More time for anything else to happen… I did not know but I knew that anything past 34 weeks was overdue for me.
Did you do this?
Are you currently pregnant and freaking yourself out?
What is the weirdest thought or dream that you have had while pregnant?
I just want to say that all the things that you are thinking could happen will most likely not happen so just relax and enjoy the day. Enjoy the time being pregnant if you can, and if you are able take a nap. You might be too busy soon to rest so get in now. Although this might be hard if you are working or have other children.
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Australian scientists at the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute have discovered that if women have Vitamin B3 during pregnancy it can prevent miscarriages and birth defects.
“Every year 7.9 million babies are born with a birth defect worldwide and one in four pregnant women suffer a miscarriage in Australia.”
The study found that a “deficiency in a vital molecule, known as NAD, prevents a baby’s organs from developing correctly in the womb.”
Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) is one of the most important molecules in all our cells. It is essential for energy production, cell communication and DNA repair.
Vitamin B3 is required and essential to make NAD. This is found in meats and leafy green vegetables, oh and Vegemite.
It is essential to have a good supply of vitamin B3 in the first trimester as this is the critical time for organ development.
New Born Baby
The Victor Chang institute found that at least a third of pregnant women have low levels of vitamin B3 in the first trimester and that is with taking vitamins, also in the third trimester 60% of pregnant women needed more of vitamin B3 as their levels were low also. This would mean that pregnant women would need to boost their intake of this vitamin.
The study found that before the introduction of vitamin B3 into the mothers diet, embryos were lost due to miscarriage and babies were born with a range of severe birth defects. After adding the vitamin to the mothers diet miscarriages and birth defects were prevented and babies were born healthy.
This is a massive breakthrough that will help so many people. It is just like the discovery of of adding folic acid to prevent spina bifida and other neural tube defects in babies. Mothers worldwide are all told to take folic acid to help their pregnancy. Adding folate to the food supply and making sure women have a more of this vitamin during pregnancy has led to a 70% decrease in the number of babies born with neural tube defects. The same will now happen with the understanding of Vitamin B3, and in turn lead to less miscarriages and birth defects.
If you are pregnant or want to be soon make sure you get your vitamin B3 to ensure all will be well.
I know things sometimes are not planned when you end up pregnant, but sometimes they are. My pregnancies were all planned and I made sure that I took vitamins well before I conceived and also had a good diet of fresh vegetables, meats, fruit and also exercised.
And sometimes baby number 2 or 3 is a surprise, or you were trying but thought it might take a while and it didn’t so time-frames might not work for all.
If you know you are planning for a baby, my tip is to make sure you focus on your inner health, vitamins and stay well. Having a baby is a huge job for you and your body. Carrying twins or more also puts another strain on vitamin stores. When pregnant with the twins I had to take more vitamins due to extra of an additional baby and their need for more vitamins.
One thing to do is if you are worried about your levels you can always go to a doctor and get them checked. Then you will know what you need to take, plus you can always get the vitamins from food too.
Isn’t it interesting that vitamins play such an essential role in our lives.
I hope this has helped you know more about this new discovery and if you are pregnant or want to be make sure to have a Vegemite sandwich or toast more often. (I love Vegemite and can live off it)
7.9 million babies are born with a serious birth defect worldwide every year
3.3 million children under five die from serious birth defects annually
Congenital heart disease is the most common form of birth defect, affecting 1 in 100 babies
42 babies are born with a heart defect in Australia every week
30 babies will undergo heart surgery in Australia every week
Heart defects account for 30% of deaths in children under five
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Saturday the 15th of July I took the twins to see Frozen on Ice. This was a great treat on the weekend before school went back. It was the night time show and due to this, it would be a late night.
Hubby was looking after Alexander and the girls and I were off to a night out. A night for just the girls, which my kids were very happy about.
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They love their brother but like the fact that they get to spend some one on one time with mummy.
We left super early and it was lucky that we did as later we ended up having issues with traffic and finding the parking station. (more about the parking issue later)
In the car, the kids and I played eye spy. and then a game they created about finding colours of cars. It was all fun until I decided to try and find a purple car. Yes, these are rare and therefore the kids decided it was all too hard and they took a nap. Oh well at least I had some quiet time before the show happened and the madness of parking and trying to find where we were supposed to be.
I got to the venue with an hour to spare but that was soon whittled away to about 20 minutes or less due to roads being closed. Yep there were road closures which meant that I could not get access to P6 parking station and my GPS kept on telling me to go back, but it had no idea that the roads were closed. Due to this stupidy, I ended up getting directed back to the same spot twice.
Yep there were road closures which meant that I could not get access to P6 parking station and my GPS kept on telling me to go back, but it had no idea that the roads were closed. Due to this stupidy, I ended up getting directed back to the same spot twice.
Due to this stupidy, I ended up getting directed back to the same spot twice. You can imagine my annoyance at this and not knowing where to go to get to where I needed to go.
On my second pass at the same place with the road closed I decided to continue straight. I had no idea where I was going other than away from the P6 parking station but just had to keep on going.
I was worried that I would be late and not make the show. Would I ever find this elusive P6 parking station?
I was annoyed that I was 1 hour early and now I might be late and miss things.
There was no way to stop to get directions as there was so much traffic that this was impossible.
My bet paid off and I saw that there was a sign to P6 parking. Phew!
I kept on going and followed the signs and hoped that there were no more road closures.
We managed to get to the venue with enough time for a quick toilet break and to get the twins an Olaf mug with shaved ice.
Julia with her Olaf cup and waiting for the show to start.
Then it was announced that the show will be starting soon and we had to find our seats. Geez…. I was lucky that we did not leave later.
Stupid road closures.
I initially thought that we would be there too early and have heaps of time with nothing to do. How wrong was I.
An announcement was made and we had to make our way to our seats. The show was going to start soon. How exciting and very happy we got there in time.
The lights went off and the show started. The kids were super excited and we all had a fabulous time, and yes we all did sing “Let it Go” and more.
Frozen on Ice was a great family show for kids. You can dance, take photos, sing and have fun. Perfect for little kids and adults too.
The show ended at about 8pm. By the time the kids and I walked to the P6 parking station it was about 8.30pm. We didn’t have dinner and promised kids that on the way home we would eat something but I didn’t think it was going to be so late.
On the way to the show, Julia said the following.
“Mummy, do you think Alexander is still awake?”
Mummy to Julia, “No it is too late for him, he would be asleep by now.”
Then Julia said this….
“Well Mummy if Alexander is awake Daddy has failed!”.
Geez, this is a bit harsh I thought.
But I was so sure that Alexander was fast asleep, and hubby was busy watching a show or doing something on his computer without interruption. You will learn how wrong I was soon.
Anna and Elsa at Frozen on Ice
On the way home I stopped and got dinner for all of us and then we got back in the car for a huge drive home. The kids slept nearly all the way home.
I got home at about 10.30pm or could be later.
I opened the door to reveal Alexander running around and playing. He was excited to see me and said, “Mumma!”
Then Julia looked at me and said, “See, Alexander is awake……”
I then saw hubby in the kitchen looking like a wreck.
He had the baby bath on the counter tops and had just finished giving him a bath and changing his clothes for the millionth time so I was told.
At about 6.20pm Alexander had started throwing up and did not stop. Hubby had not had a chance to sit down or even get himself dinner.
Hubby then gave me a blow by blow description of what went on and how horrible it had been.
I did feel for him and it is horrible when kids are sick, especially babies. However I have been faced with three kids throwing up and also myself at the same time. Yep and being the only one dealing with it all. Not fun at all!
When the twins were little they got sick like Alexander and I had to manage with two babies being sick and then me also getting sick too!
I did sympthaise with him but I told him that he should be grateful it was just one baby this time!
Hubby did a great job and held down the fort in trying times.
So this sickness did not stop until Monday morning. Anything we gave Alexander he threw up.
Monday morning he woke and was just looking limp. He was very floppy and not well.
I tried to get water into him but he guzzled it and then it all came back up. Oh shit….. not good.
I then limited the amount in his sippy cup to try and make sure he kept it down. This worked for a while and then he passed out on my lap. He was snoring and just so tired. Not good at all. So limp still.
A doctor needed to see him to make sure all was okay. I could only get into the local doctors at midday and that for me was not quick enough. I was getting very worried about him.
I got organised and packed a bag and took Alexander and myself to the hospital.
On the drive there he screamed and carried on. He was upset. He was still not well and mummy was taking him somewhere!
I got to the hospital and the lady could not hear me well over his screams and just had to ask for name and date of birth due to him being screaming mess. I waited only a few minutes and then saw the triage nurse. He was lovely and asked about what had happened. I told him what had gone on.
Alexander had his immunisations the Wednesday before, Thursday he was good, Friday he went to daycare and then Saturday night he was sick. I did explain that hubby thought it was related to a bread roll that he fed him as it happened quite quickly after he ate this food. I was not so sure, as the other kids were not sick from the same bread rolls.
The triage nurse took blood for blood sugar levels and then other things. He weighed Alexander but only with me being on the scales with him due to the fact that he was so upset and still screaming (he screamed for at least over 2 hours).
My little boy in hospital. He was not well at all. I am so thankful I took him to get looked at.
His weight on Wednesday the 12th of July was about 11kgs. His weight on Monday 17th of July was 10kgs. He had dropped 1 kg not even in a week. (Note: I had his 18mth health check yesterday (27th July) and his weight was 10.3kgs so not great but at least he is putting the weight back on).
The triage nurse said that his blood sugar levels were very low and could be dangerous. Shit really! Oh no!
He found us a bed in emergency and said that they need to see if Alexander’s levels can be increased while we are there. Patches were also put on the back of Alexander’s hands in case a cannula was needed (this was never used and the patches numb and have a form of anesthesia so that it does not hurt the babies as much).
Alexander was given a lemonade icy pole ice block. He loved it and ate most of it. However he did try and eat the foam cup the nurse made to catch the drips and cried when some of the ice block fell on the floor.
One nurse gave him some diluted apple juice but he did not want this.
Another nurse tried the hydralyte ice blocks but Alexander did not like the flavour.
One nurse Alexander loved. He had a real way with kids and Alexander thought he was funny. After being in emergency for about three hours Alexander had calmed down a bit. He was not great, but had not thrown up.
They did give him a tablet that dissolves in his mouth to help with the nausua. The cool nurse came back and he wanted to see if Alexander’s sugar levels were going up.
I asked the nurse what Alexander’s sugar levels were when we were in triage? I was told that they were 2.2, and this nurse said that is extremely low for a baby or anyone.
After the second test I asked what the levels were? They were 3.3, and this nurse seemed happy that they were going up. He did say that they are still low.
The doctor came to see us again and said that he is happy that he is calmer, and is looking a little better. They did not need to run any further tests and I just had to try his sugar levels up.
The nurse told me the following:
Low blood sugar can cause people to go into a coma
Babies and young kids cannot store the sugar so need a daily amount to keep their levels up.
If things changed to come back immediately.
I left the hospital and it got me thinking. If I had waited till midday to see the regular doctors would he have been even worse? Would he have gone into a coma or maybe had something else happen? I don’t know and it is a scary thought. I am just grateful that I took our little boy to the hospital and got the help we needed.
I do know to give kids food and drink and when they don’t want either it is hard, however I was not thinking about blood sugar at all. This did not even enter my brain that this could be an issue. It makes sense though.
Due to Alexander not eating and drinking his system was really needing sugar.
I got a whole box of lemonade icy poles and he as been eating with honey on bread.
Alex with his big sister Lillian. Lillian was not well and having a day off school. Alex was much better and getting cuddles from his sister.
At the time of writing this post he is much better and back to his usual self. His appetite has come back and he is making up for the lost days when he did not eat.
Now this is frightening and it could have possibly happened to my boy. His levels were 2.2 when we came to the hospital and seeing these numbers, and what can happen sent a chill up spine.
The illness ended up being a terrible episode of gastro, and that I later learnt that Alexander picked up from childcare.
Alexander was much better Tuesday the 18th but the bug hit me too. This past weekend Julia and Lillian have also been sick but with the twins it only lasted 24 hours. The only person that has missed out is hubby.
Blood Sugar levels are super important when ill
I know that you need to eat and drink but if a child refuses to do this the blood sugar drops. My kids are not big people, and also don’t weigh a lot. If they drop any weight they get hit harder I think.
Making sure that your little ones have something to help put the sugars back is ideal. Here are some suggestions:
Store the hydralyte ice blocks in the freezer. They can keep and then you have them handy.
You can buy the hydralyte drink premixed and you can keep in the fridge. This puts back the sugar and electrolytes so great when not well.
If your kids don’t like the flavour of the hydralyte ice blocks you can always use a lemonade icy pole or any flavour that means they will eat it.
Honey toast or adding some honey to drinks.
I don’t like giving kids too much of one thing and I am big believer of moderation in relation to sugar. However if you have not eaten for a while you need it.
I hope this helps create awareness on what could happen.
A HUGE Thanks to the lovely and quick staff at the Blue Mountains Hospital. We are super lucky to have such great health care in Australia and I am very grateful that Alexander got looked after so well. So a big thank you to you all!
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Ladies do you find that you come last for everything? I do… and this has to stop. We women need to put our health first!
I like other women find that I look after everyone before I look after myself.
This has not been intentional but due to kids and racing everywhere mummy seems to come last on the list for everything. Sad but true.
The last few months I have felt extremely exhausted. I’ve been so tired that I have fallen asleep in my chair watching a show, fallen asleep with the baby and just felt low.
I thought maybe it was vitamins. Maybe it was exercise or maybe there was something really wrong.
Part of me did think that if I could just have a true break and some good sleep it might all be fine. A break has not happened yet and still waiting on having uninterrupted sleep…. I can only dream about this.
I took myself off to get some sunshine and a walk. I found it so tiring and found it all so hard. Gee I am not that old! I know I might not be that fit but feeling this zapped of energy is not good.
The other day I took myself off to the doctors to get to the bottom of why I am so tired and not feeling good. Blood tests were done and I left with two sore arms as the nurse found it difficult to get a vein… normally this is not an issue. I don’t think I drank much that morning so that might explain the vein issue.
Yesterday the blood had the answers I was after. All good expect a few things. Low on vitamin d mainly and this would explain why I was so tired. I have purchased some vitamin d tablets and will make sure to get more sunshine. Although getting sunshine at the moment is a bit hard due to freezing temperatures and gale force winds, oh and a sick baby does not help.
I can make some changes and get my blood tested in another three months to see how it is all going.
This current issue with my health got me thinking.
As a mum to three young kids and the primary carer I need to look after me. If something happened to me things would be a disaster. I know you cannot future proof everything but you can try and look after your health and be well for you and the family.
Sign Up to Women’s Health Week.
The two barriers that women face are:
Time
Health not being a priority
If you look after you, you can look after the ones you love as well. It all starts with you being well and healthy.
I’ve signed up for Women’s Health Week and I urge you to do so as well.
Get fit in style with this gorgeous slim pink, 22k gold plated smart fitness watch built with revolutionary features including PurePulse® heart rate, connected GPS, on-screen workouts and more.
I’ve signed up to Women’s Health Week. Have you?
So what is Women’s Health Week About?
In 2013 Jean Hailes for Women’s Health ran the first national Women’s Health Week.
Thousands signed up from all over Australia to take part. The event consisted of online activities, resources, information, videos and more.
This event is now in its fifth year and it is “time to put yourself first and get talking about women’s health.”
You can also host an eventfor your friends, workplace or community. If you register before the 31st of July 2017 you get a free elephant stress ball in every gift bag.
NOTE: I was approached by the team at Women’s Health Week to help promote this great initiative for women. As a busy mum I know how easy it is to let things for you slip or get forgotten about altogether. As you know from the first part of this post I am dealing with feeling super tired and was proactive to go to the doctors to get to the bottom of why. I must say I knew that it might be a vitamin d issue before I went but wanted to triple check that there were no underlying issues that I need to be aware of.
Women, and mums out there need to put their health first. Be selfish and care for you so that you can help and care for others as well.
If you take care of your health not only will you feel good you will be more active as well.
You don’t need to just have a family to want to be healthy, feeling well helps you do more and feel better as well.
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Lillian my little Animal Planet Ranger. She is having fun spotting all the animals at WILDLIFE Zoo in Darling Harbour.
I was invited to try out the new Animal Planet Ranger activity at SEALIFE and the WILDLIFE Zoo. This fab new exhibition that is run across both the aquarium and the zoo in Darling Harbour.It was super fun and the kids loved racing around finding all the animals and learning more about the animals on their collectible animal planet ranger cards.
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So what do you do when you are an Animal Planet Ranger?
Children get an Animal Ranger Pack that have animal planet ranger cards, facts on animals, colouring in and much more!
Once my girls and their cousin got their packs they were keen to find the animals on their cards. First we found a cassowary. It is a big bird like an emu…well not exactly but the size might be similar to an emu.
We found the cassowary that was on the Animal Planet Ranger cards.
Kids can dress as a ranger, swap animal facts to earn more ‘animal planet ranger cards’, and make it your mission to find the animals before anyone else does.
If you wish to be an animal planet ranger it ends soon so be quick to not miss out.
The baby lost it after this picture. So this was the best one with all the kids. Score really when you are out and try and get a group photo.There is a viewing area so that you can look at the big enormous crocodile. It is great that this is now built as the last time we were at the aquarium it was still under construction.
The kids mission pack. Armed with this they raced around to find the animals on their cards and to learn more fun facts about the animals too.So much in the animal pack…. the kids will not be bored at all!
Finding Dory and Nemo is always fun
Julia loved taking photos while on our adventures at SEALIFE and WILDLIFE the other day.
The Art Aquarium is so much fun
Just before you leave the aquarium you have the chance to colour in a fish or creature to appear in the art aquarium. Once you have coloured in your art work, you then get it scanned in and in minutes it appears animated on the projected wall of fish and other sea life.
This is super fun for kids and I must say adults too.
I was so pleased that this was still at the aquarium. My girls loved it and so did their cousin as well.
Make sure you add your artwork to the art aquarium before you leave.
The twins and their cousin colouring in fish for the art aquarium at SEALIFE Sydney.
The twins and their cousin. All the kids had a fabulous time and there was so much for them to see and do. Just perfect for weekends, holidays or anytime actually.
A HUGE thank you to Merlin Entertainment for our fun family day out. It was such a pleasure to be with family and to experience your fun new exhibition. The kids had a blast and raced everywhere to learn more, see more animals and to explore everything. Everyone was super tired after our huge fun day out.
I recently attendedThe Bloggers Brunchand had the opportunity to listen to Frank Caruso speak about his journey and how he has built such a successful business.
Frank explained how he had teachers that thought he was not bright and would not amount to much. He had doubters but he never kept on giving things a go. Frank Caruso’s talk was very motivational and made me think about my journey so far.
I had very similar things happen to me as a child. I was told that I was stupid. I would not be able to do this or that and I should just get an office job and forget about it.
Thank goodness, I was stubborn and did not listen to the doubters. I kept on plodding along and worked towards my goals.
Slowly but surely, I managed to get into the university I was drooling over. I managed to get in as a mature aged student. According to the universities mature age is from 20 years and older. I started my undergraduate degree at UTS (University of Technology, Sydney) when I was 23 years of age.
Frank invested in his health journey and was so passionate about it, it became a hugely successful family business.
Learning about Frank Caruso’s tips for success. In grade 3 one of his teachers told him he would never succeed at anything. Don’t let other people’s view of you dictate what you will become! This is one of the key points from Frank’s tips.
Hearing Frank talk at The Bloggers Brunch was inspiring and made me think of things I wish to achieve for my business and my family. Frank is contagious regarding motivating people about their dreams and passions.
It got me thinking about my health and wellness after I got home.
Since having kids, I want to make sure I look after myself. I want to be healthy and active for them, oh and myself as well.
I make sure to have good food, some exercise, rest, relaxation (although sometimes hard with a busy family), and time with the family to just be.
Part of looking after myself means that I make sure to get enough vitamins and minerals that my body will need to lead an active life.
Being a mum is tough job. You cannot afford to get sick (no sick leave, no sick pay, or nanny to come help) so being as healthy as you can is very important.
The kids and I in April 2016.
It is even tougher when kids get sick and you are the one that cares for them, dodging coughs, and snotty noses is next to impossible and therefore mum is the next one on the list to get ill.
Since having my last child, Alexander, I have noticed that my hair has been very dry and brittle. I don’t remember this happening after the twins. Maybe it did and I was so tired I never realised.
I mentioned this to the team at Caruso’s Natural Health and they recommended I try Super Collagen Builderfor Hair, Skin and Nails.
Super Collagen Builder for Hair, Skin and Nails from Caruso’s Natural Health.
I’ve been using the Super Collagen Builder for the last month and it seems to have made a difference to my hair. It appears softer, and not as dry. I will be continuing using this product to see what it does over a longer period.
I do eat quite well but like to ensure I’m getting the right vitamins and minerals with a multivitamin. I’ve been taking Women’s Super Multi. This is a multivitamin tailored for women on the go.
Women’s Super Multi by Caruso’s Natural Health
I take one multivitamin a day. I’m sure this has helped me feel better and allowed me to keep going when the kids have been unwell. This multivitamin helps you for all round health, heart, immune support, bone health, energy, stress and loads more.
Meeting Frank has made me see that I too can achieve what I set out to do. I already knew that health was extremely important and as a mum looking after myself is a top priority.
Not only will being healthy in my older years ensure that I am here for my kids but will allow me to lead a happier, and better life.
The inspirational and charming Frank Caruso from Caruso’s Natural Health. It was such a lovely thing to meet the wonderful man himself.
Have you met someone that has motivated you to be a better you? Frank Caruso is defiantly a person that encourages change in people. Frank is also proof that you should follow your passions and invest in you. The more you do this, the more successful you will be.
How do you make time for good health at your place?
Do you exercise with the kids?
Or maybe eating more vegetables and less refined food?
Let us know.
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I know kids, life and work do this. Resting or downtime for me never seems enough. What about you?
I went to bed last night and had the most interesting thoughts.
A hotel dedicated to rest. A hotel dedicated to relaxation and downtime. This hotel would have restful rooms and it would be a quiet space.
This hotel would pamper mums. No kids allowed. Just mums.
This is the hotel that I dreamt about. A nice comfortable white bed, no one to wake me up, no alarms, no kids, nothing to do but just to rest and to relax.
In my dream the hotel had wall to wall beds. The beds were white, in fact everything was white. It was a quiet space that ensured all guests could sleep and sleep they did.
The sleep was a deep sleep and no one woke anyone. No kids were there. No alarms, no clocks. It was a space that allowed you to just be.
The hotel was a place that once you have slept enough you could then explore the facilities. There was a spa, yoga, a gym, swimming pool, healthy chef on call to create some extremely yummy food, great drinks and lounges so that you can sit back and read your favourite book, and last but not least the grounds were so amazing that you could explore and never be near another person – a fabulous place to meditate and be at one with nature.
My trip to this hotel was cut short. I woke up and had to get kids ready for school and the baby off to childcare.
I did not want to get out of bed. I was so comfortable and the bed felt like I was melting into it. It was perfect, but this perfection ended due to having to start the day.
Why can’t I stay in bed and pretend I was back at this hotel that is dedicated to sleep. I need to go back to this place so that I can relax and just be.
It is a real pity that this hotel is not real.
Maybe there are hotels and services out there that can do this, however I’m sure they would cost a lot of money for this experience. My dream was free.
Would you love to travel to this hotel too? I want to go back and I only just visited last night.
Let me know if you have dreamt of something similar?
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The below post was written near the end of the Easter School holidays this year. Now we are in the winter school holidays and I am not sure that it will be much different. What about you?
Or have you been driven mental by the kids constant demands? Maybe you have found it difficult to keep kids occupied and busy while they are off school?
I don’t know about you, but I have a hate love relationship with school holidays. Yes, I know this term is usually written as a love hate relationship, but I think my way expresses more of how I feel.
The holidays are nearly over. Maybe I should be awarded a medal for survival or at the very least managing to keep people happy.
Would this award ceremony have others that have survived too? It could become a thing for parents that have lasted through countless trips to the shops, playground, park, and the millionth time watching your child’s favourite film.
Playing in parks is always a favourite thing for my kids to do. It allows them to run wild, explore and to just burn off energy that is not able to be done inside.
So what have we been up to these school holidays?
Went to the movies to see Batman LEGO Movie, Boss Baby, and Beauty and the Beast.
Spent time at parks.
Went to indoor play centres.
Watched countless movies at home.
Cooked.
Played with friends kids.
Had playdates.
Did craft.
Read books.
Went to the Easter Show.
Tried to sleep in… this really has not happened but the attempts have been made.
Also there have been many meltdowns, tantrums, and fights over the school holidays.
Kids have not been doing as they are told. Not listening to me and being downright rude and naughty.
I am actually craving some alone time.
Time that does not have yelling kids, noise or anything that might annoy me.
Time that will allow me to finally get a few things done rather than bits of everything and never get a chance to get back to it.
Don’t get me wrong, I do love the fact that holidays allow you to not be anywhere if you don’t want to.
So what do I love about school holidays?
Able to stay in your PJ’s all day.
Don’t have to make any plans.
Don’t have to pack lunches everyday.
Spending time with my lovely kids.
Seeing fun films that normally are just for kids, but since you have kids with you it is fully acceptable to watch these fun films.
Fun days out with the kids and hubby.
Things I don’t like or hate about school holidays:
No alone time.
Constantly on the go.
Never a chance to get something done for me.
Kids arguing and fighting. Although this happens when it is not school holidays, the fights seem to be amplified during holidays.
This is what it has been like when the kids have been naughty. Oh the joys of the holidays.
Wednesday the kids go back to school and Friday the baby will be in care. He is usually in care on Tuesday’s as well but this week it is a public holiday so we are all on holiday still.
I am looking forward to Friday. It will be a day that I can have some quiet time. Alone time. Time just for me. Kids will be in school, the baby will be at care, and hubby will be at work. I will be able to focus on some much needed tasks that I wish to get done.
Although I have a list of things that I wish to get completed, I most likely will be just sitting down and loving the peace and quiet of being in the house all by myself.
What do you look forward to after kids go back to school? Maybe you have not had a break due to working as well as trying to entertain kids during the school holidays.
Some plans for me:
Get my hair done
Have a hot bath and not be interrupted
Spend some time working on my blog
Catch up on some television
Finally get stuck into my screenwriting course that I have not had the chance to do
Get some exercise
And so much more
Let us know how you coped these school holidays and what you are looking forward to do once the kids are back at school?
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