Tag: school holidays

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SING Movie A Perfect Night In

Having movie night with my girls. We are so happy and excited to be watching SING on DVD.
Having movie night with my girls. We are so happy and excited to be watching SING on DVD.

This post is in partnership with
Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.

Movie nights with family are so much fun. It is so nice to spend some quality time with my girls.

SING DVD that we are so excited to watch and our Rosita (Pig) cupcakes and Buster Moon (Koala) cupcakes. Learn about how we made them.
SING DVD that we are so excited to watch and our Rosita (Pig) cupcakes and Buster Moon (Koala) cupcakes. Learn about how we made them.



Movie nights are even better when the weather is getting cold, and you can snuggle up, and watch a fabulous and much awaited film.

We were all super excited to watch SING on DVD.

 

 

From the creators of Despicable Me, Illumination presents SING, a musical comedy about finding the shining star that lives inside all of us. Sing your way into stores today to pick up a copy of SING Special Edition on Blu-ray and DVD featuring 3 mini movies and more music!

We saw SING at the movies, however since then the kids have been asking to see it again.

The twins were so excited and happy to finally have their own copy of SING. Now they can watch it whenever they wish and can entertain friends during the school holidays.

SING is a heart warming film that kids and parents will all love. The music is fabulous and you will catch yourself tapping your feet and singing along. While others might want to get up and have a dance while the characters in the movie strut their stuff.

My happy girls loved sharing the SING film on DVD with their Meena the Elephant plushies.
My happy girls loved sharing the SING film on DVD with their Meena the Elephant plushies.

Snacks and Treats for SING Family Night

To make the whole movie night more fun the twins and I made cupcakes.

Now these weren’t ordinary cupcakes. We decorated some as pigs for Rosita and koalas for Buster Moon.

Buster Moon (Koala) and Rosita (Pig) Cupcakes inspired by the movie SING.
Buster Moon (Koala) and Rosita (Pig) Cupcakes inspired by the movie SING.

If you wish to recreate my pig and koala SING inspired cupcakes here is what you need to do.

1. Make 12 cupcakes. I chose to have vanilla cake mix to make it easy. You can either have chocolate or make the mixture by scratch.

2. I added dark chocolate bits to the mixture. It is up to you, you might prefer to add something else like say banana instead. Be inventive and have fun!

3. Once the cupcakes cooled down I decorated them.

Koala icing: To get the grey icing colour I added some black icing pen to just icing sugar and water. You can add as much black as you wish to get the desired colour. I did read somewhere that you can get black food colouring but I have never seen or heard of this, so I did the next best thing. I think it worked out well.

Pig icing: I mixed icing sugar, water, and some red food colouring to get the pink colour for the pig cupcake. Mix until the desired colour of pink is achieved.

5. I created 6 koala cupcakes for Buster Moon and 6 pig cupcakes for Rosita.

6. Decorations for Buster Moon: Marshmallows for the ears, dark chocolate bits for the eyes and a chocolate coated almond for the nose.

7. Decorations for Rosita: Marshmallows for the ears (Pink), dark chocolate bits for the eyes, a marshmallow stuck horizontally with 2 dots of black icing for the nose.

8. Now all the SING cupcakes are done, the only thing left to do is to eat them!

All the SING cupcakes ready for our movie night. Rosita (PIG) cupcakes and Buster Moon (Koala) cupcakes.
All the SING cupcakes ready for our movie night. Rosita (PIG) cupcakes and Buster Moon (Koala) cupcakes.

You must have popcorn for movie night and that is why everyone had their own box of special homemade popcorn.

The girls loved watching the popcorn pop in the microwave and were amazed at how much each bag made.

To make it more of an event I got little popcorn boxes. This made sure that each person had their own popcorn while watching the film.

Having movie night with my girls. We are so happy and excited to be watching SING on DVD.
Having movie night with my girls. We are so happy and excited to be watching SING on DVD.

The SING DVD has great extras

They are:

• Gunter Babysits
• Love At First Sight
• Eddie’s Life Coach
• The Making of the Mini-Movies

Love at First Sight Mini Movie Sneak Peak

Movie Night is Great Family Time

Sharing a film with your kids is so nice. Laughing at the same things is also an enjoyable moment.

Do you love having family movie nights?  For your family movie nights do you ensure that you have ample treats on hand to enjoy your film?

My kids love to have movie days also and more so in holidays.

The living room becomes one big bed. Pillows, blankets and more are added to the floor and then we all get very comfortable to watch some favourite films.

Soon it will be holidays and I’m sure your little ones will be wanting to relax and have fun watching SING. Have fun dancing, singing and more!

Movie nights are so much fun, especially with a fun film like SING.
Movie nights are so much fun, especially with a fun film like SING.

 

Enjoy your home movie night. I hope that you all have a fun time.

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Family

Summer School Holidays End

I know a cat photo is strange to put in this post. I did look for a photo of an annoyed mum or parent. Or even kids being silly. I thought that this annoyed cat summed up my feelings and might even represent some of my facial expressions over the holidays.
I know a cat photo is strange to put in this post. I did look for a photo of an annoyed mum or parent. Or even kids being silly. I thought that this annoyed cat summed up my feelings and might even represent some of my facial expressions over the holidays.

I love summer.

I love holidays.

However I am over the craziness of the school holidays and keen for kids to go back to school. There I said it. Lately everything is a drama, and I am so over it.

When is my turn to take a holiday?????  I have been trying to use positive thought power to attract a family holiday to Fiji maybe, or possibly a working holiday just for me to Queensland or Melbourne. Who knows… I am just dreaming and putting it out to the universe at the moment.

I know a cat photo is strange to put in this post. I did look for a photo of an annoyed mum or parent. Or even kids being silly. I thought that this annoyed cat summed up my feelings and might even represent some of my facial expressions over the holidays.
I know a cat photo is strange to put in this post. I did look for a photo of an annoyed mum or parent. Or even kids being silly. I thought that this annoyed cat summed up my feelings and might even represent some of my facial expressions over the holidays.

One thing that I am not looking forward to is the weather getting cooler but one BIG thing that is making me smile is the hours that will be mine when kids and baby are at school and care.

Soon I will have some uninterrupted time. This time will be quiet. No kids yelling, no kids arguing and no baby demanding cuddles or screaming and crying. The joy of soon having two days to myself, aside from school pick up and drop off.

The girls start grade three on Monday and due to the baby being in care on the Tuesday I have organised something for me.

I’ve made an appointment to get my hair done. Yes some pamper time for mummy. It will be relaxing and so nice to do something for me and to be on my own for a change.

Are you looking forward to school going back? Are you over the kids acting feral and crazy lately? I know I am. I am longing for some lovely time to just be at home and to get things done. It could be blogging, sorting things out with the house or just sitting down and having some quiet time for me.

What are you wanting to do when kids go back to school? Let me know.

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Things to do

Hunter Valley Fun for the Whole Family

I loved these pretty flowers.

Getting away is always great. A huge holiday to a foreign destination is fab but in my book just an escape to somewhere different and for a few days is just as good. It is even better when you stay somewhere where the cooking and cleaning is all done and you can just relax. As a mummy this part is one of the best, not having to do much at all.

On our way to the Hunter Valley.
On our way to the Hunter Valley.

The Hunter Valley is a great place for a quick weekend escape, and a great place for the whole family.

We drove to the Hunter and I thought that would not be fun with three kids but it was not as bad as I thought. The trip was broken up with a lunch stop and so that we could have a rest.

One thing that was said multiple times from hubby was that we were travelling in a huge heat wave. Predicted temperatures in the Hunter were meant to get to over 40 degrees. In fact, it got to 44.5 degrees on one of the days while at the Hunter… the whole family thought this was a good excuse to visit the dessert café and order a whole lot of very cold ice-cream and drinks. Mind you some don’t need an excuse to have ice cream at all.

I received tickets to go to the Hunter Valley Gardens Christmas Lights Spectacular this year. Luckily this year we could go, last year I was very pregnant with Alexander (at the time we had no idea if it was a boy/girl) and thought that a trip when we had no idea when the baby would come might not be a good idea.

However, the same time this year I’m not pregnant, or just had the baby and we can get about more easily with a family of three kids.

We were all looking forward to seeing the lights; on the Hunter Valley Gardens website, they have such lovely pictures of all the different gardens and videos so that you can experience a little bit before you go. A great idea to get you all super excited.

What Can you See at the Christmas Lights Spectacular?

There are many different gardens that are decorated with such lovely displays of lights and characters. Some of the things on display are:

  • Candyland
  • The Twelve Days of Christmas. This is a sound and light display. I loved this one. You need to stay for a little bit to see all the days and enjoy the full display.
  • Mad Hatter’s Tea Party
  • Fairy Garden – the girls loved this one
  • Waterfall and lights – This was another one of our favourites. You can see dolphins, the waterfall and all the creatures lit up on the water. Very magical.
  • Underwater scene – whale, jellyfish, fish, and shark and much more.
  • Mega Trees  – Trees had lights displayed in them and some were moving and very mesmerizing.
  • North Pole Scene
  • Santa’s Plane
  • Present Tree
  • Music Room
  • And so much more….Trust me you will be amazed at all the lights, work and detail that has gone into this wonderful event.

Tokens for individual rides in the Fun Zone are $6 each, unlimited rides* wristbands are $15 pp.

“This awesome Fun Zone includes: unlimited play on the super fun Jumping Castles, Obstacle Courses, Arcade Alley and the massive, colourful HVG Super Slide (weather permitting). Please note that the Fun Zone requires an additional entry fee alongside Christmas Lights entry).” Fun Zone is open during the Christmas Lights Spectacular from 5.30pm – 9.45 pm daily.

The girls loved the huge mega slide and the obstacle courses and the jumping castles. The Fun Zone is located near the food and beverage area. While the kids play you can relax with a drink and they can run wild for a while.

 

Check out all the prices for tickets to the Hunter Valley Lights Spectacular 

You can also download the FAQ to the Christmas Lights Spectacular  this will help you plan your time at the gardens.

 

So what did we do while we were at the Hunter Valley?

  • We had fun at the Hunter Valley Gardens Christmas Lights Spectacular. Did you know that the Hunter Valley gardens has over 60 acres of gardens to look at.  No wonder we were all tired when we got back to the hotel, well we were exhausted after we got back to the car.
  • Enjoyed relaxing at our hotel The Mecure at the Hunter Valley – this was a great place to stay due to the fact that it was right next to the Hunter Valley Gardens.
  • Tasted some locally brewed beer from Potters Brewery.
  • Experienced some lovely wines from Hungerford Hill Winery and Peacock Hill Winery.
  • We all cooled down in the pool at the Mecure due to very hot days. The pool was a huge hit with the kids and even Alexander finally felt comfortable enough to get fully into the pool for the first time. He had only ever wanted to put his feet into a pool before.
  • Relaxed! Did nothing for a while.

Where did we stay and why?

We chose to stay at the Mecure at the Hunter Valley Gardens. This was for two reasons, firstly that we would be really close to the lights and secondly that it looked like a lovely family friendly place to stay.

First I looked online to see what types of rooms they had on offer and we were lucky enough to book a family room. Our stay was with the lead up to New Year’s Eve and therefore many places were booked out as were many restaurants.

The people at the Mecure were so helpful, friendly and nothing was an issue. It was very family friendly and the room was great for kids and adults. We were in a huge room for just everyone and that was fine for us. Maybe next time when we have more time to book we will get a bigger room or say two rooms, one for the kids and one for us.

Breakfast at the Mecure was yummy and filled us up, the kids were happy that they could make their own pancakes and they had weet-bix as well. As per usual our little boy made a mess but we did our best to tidy up so that we did not leave a horrible disaster for the lovely staff. Make sure to get breakfast with your room package as it really made it so much easier.

NOTE: If you book make sure to organise dinner reservations. I did not think of this until we were at our hotel room. I normally do this but it did not happen until we were at the hotel. It must have been forgotten about in the rush to pack and leave the house.

We managed to get a booking at the Mecure for dinner Friday night, and the Thursday night we ate at local pub down the road at Harrigan’s Irish Pub.

 

Dinner was good tasty food that hit the spot. The kids had fun at the jumping castle at Harrigan’s before and after their food and this allowed them to run off some energy that they needed to do due to our big drive to the Hunter Valley. Our plan was to eat something before we all went off to see the Lights at the Hunter Valley Gardens. I’m glad we did that as there is lots to see although if you did not manage to get dinner before going to the lights at the Hunter Valley Gardens there are some food stalls that you can purchase some food and sit back and relax while the kids have fun at the Fun Zone while you can relax with a refreshing drink.

Dining on Friday night at the Mecure was such a treat. The meal was divine and so tasty. The restaurant is called éléments and the Executive Chef Jean Marc Pollet fuses French cuisine with Australian produce. The soup for our starter was so tasty and our main meal was excellent as well. The kids loved their meals too.

A HUGE thank you to The Hunter Valley Gardens for the tickets to the wonderful lights. We all had a wonderful time. Also a big shout out to the lovely people at the Mecure at the Hunter Valley for booking us in with not much warning and giving us a room that we could all fit into for our two night stay. We loved our time at the Hunter and are keen to come back soon.

Make sure you check out all the things you can do in the Hunter Valley and keep it for a nice escape for just you and hubby or you and the wife, or a family getaway with the kids. The Visit NSW website has a great list of places to visit, wineries, place to stay, drives to do and all things to keep everyone entertained.

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Things to do

Take Your Little Explorers to the Penguin Expedition

This time next week the family and I will be at the launch party for Penguin Expedition at SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium.

Genie is a gentoo penguin. She is only 14 weeks old. See Genie at the Penguin Expedition at SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium.
Genie is a gentoo penguin. She is only 14 weeks old. See Genie at the Penguin Expedition at SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium.

We are so excited to see the King and Gentoo Penguins, experience arctic temperatures, learn more about the penguins and just have fun being immersed in all things penguin, oh and plus my little explorers are looking forward to possible surprises and treats at the party.

While we are at the party we will be able to learn more with penguin trainers giving us detailed talks to help us understand more about their habitats and the lives of penguins.

Nog is a King Penguin. He is a cheeky character and can easily be spotted due to his funny walk. He puts his head down and waddles.
Nog is a King Penguin. He is a cheeky character and can easily be spotted due to his funny walk. He puts his head down and waddles.

 

First of all, once you pay to enter the aquarium you can access the Penguin expedition. No more to pay. Also this is the same for multi-attraction passes and annual passes.

What can you do at the Penguin Expedition?

Penguin Expedition was inspired by Macquarie Island which is an Australian owned island in the South West Pacific Ocean. King and Gentoo Penguins are found on Macquarie Island, they breed here and have large numbers. The island is important  because it supports 3.5 million breeding seabirds of 13 species according to Wikipedia. 

  • You become an explorer no matter what your age.
  • Each person can travel in a raft through a sub antarctic environment. Don’t worry it will not be too cold. They say that it is “a cool-but-comfortable six degrees Celsius.”
  • During your voyage on the raft you can get up close with the penguins…maybe face to flipper if you are lucky.
  • You can even experience snow, winds and the southern lights.
  • The tour also seeks to educate visitors on the impacts of plastic pollution on the habitats of penguins and other sea life.
  • Learn about SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium’s penguin breeding program

 

Come and experience the Penguin Expedition at SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium.
Come and experience the Penguin Expedition at SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium.

 

“Penguin Expedition is the world first-of-its kind penguin exhibit where guests can get up close and personal to a spectacular colony of King and Gentoo Penguins at SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium.”

Make sure you follow me on Instagram , I will be posting about our time at the Penguin Expedition Launch Party and our time while in the city.

Taking the kids to the aquarium during the school holidays is a fabulous day out. They will learn so much and you can then explore the surrounds of Darling Harbour afterwards. Darling Harbour has an amazing children’s playground that can keep kids of all ages entertained for hours.

Have you been to the Penguin Expedition yet? Did you enjoy the new ride through the penguin colonies? Did your kids love seeing penguins up so close?

I hope this has given you another idea to take the kids to over the school holidays.

Oh and stay tuned for some amazing giveaways soon on the blog…..passes to some great places to take the kids this summer. 

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Family

A Pox On Our House

What a start to the school holidays we have had. Baby was sick, one of the girls was sick, I was sick and finally hubby was sick. Only one kid escaped the germs due to her getting it a week before and starting this whole mess. Yes, I am blaming her, well if it was not her it is possibly something we picked up from school or who knows where. So maybe I shouldn’t blame anyone really.

We have been hit with the horrible gastro bug. I am pleased to state that I am much better and happier than I was a few days ago. If you did see me I am sure you would claim that I looked like the undead and although afflicted with the need to throw up and not leave the bathroom I had to care for kids as well. Not a great mix if you ask me.

This horrible germ that made all our life hell for days has been vanished! No more. You are not welcome in my house!
This horrible germ that made all our life hell for days has been vanished! No more. You are not welcome in my house!

At one point I finally put the baby to bed and then was able to go to bed myself for a little rest. However, this rest was interrupted by one of the girls who was very ill herself and she made a mess in the bathroom and needed help. I must say that this one part that I loathe, helping clean up mess when others have been ill…It just makes me sick also. I took a while to gather myself and then finally tided up the bathroom and as you can imagine my time with a baby sleeping had ended so I had to get him up and sort him out too.

I am not sure what type of bug we picked up but it was not good. It made all my joints hurt and have headaches for days. I have been washing, scrubbing and making sure we don’t spread the germs. Yes, as you might imagine I have like everyone in the house is constantly washing their hands to just make sure; to the extent that I have realised that some of the soap that I have been using is irritating my skin.

I got better, then my little girl got better, the baby got a little better, and then the one person who did not get the bug was struck down. Hubby finally got ill. It was terrible as he was very sick and sad to say that he now has a full appreciation of how bad this germ really was. I do think he knew it was not good, but once you have had it you have a different understanding.

Do you end up really ill with sick kids and have to mind them? I did this and it was not fun. Sad situation is that being a mum means that when you are sick no one comes to help you out.

No sick days, no days off, and rarely any help. I was lucky that I got some help but in the peak of the storm (Yes I am comparing it to a storm due to the fact that I was harassed by three children, I was ill, the baby was ill, and one kid was also ill. I was not able to just go and have a sleep and let someone else help. Or have baby be minded. If I needed to be sick I had to do that while the baby screamed. I needed to try and sort myself out before I tended to him or else it might have been even messier) I had no help. Hubby had arranged to do some work for a mate and he was in the middle of it when I needed him to come home.

You don’t plan to be sick. You don’t know where you are going to be when you might need to come home and help a loved one. It might be that easy to suddenly leave work. I do understand that. However, I got annoyed. Why was I so annoyed? Well it seems that every time I am really ill, I have to soldier on. I have to go it alone and that means that I have to care for kids while being unwell.

I was grateful that hubby came home as quickly as he could but it got me thinking…. if I was at work or a function and the same happened to him, would he be annoyed at me if I delayed my return? Would he accept the fact it is work or would he just want the support and help in his time of need?

When the twins were babies they got really sick. I was in the same predicament. I got ill caring for the kids and then all three of us were throwing up, and I was the only one caring and cleaning up for all of us. It was tough. What I wouldn’t have given for someone to just come and look after us all. I just wanted to go to bed and to sleep.

Have you been in this situation? Sick kids, then you are ill and you have to manage to care for it all? Do you have family or friends that lend a hand? Or are they frightened to enter the house of germs?

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Things to do

Explore SeaLife Sydney Aquarium

Last week we had the best adventure. We were invited to Sydney Aquarium before it opened to see their new exhibit: “Jurassic Seas”. This new exhibit showcases animals that have outlasted the dinosaurs.

The kids, my mum and I had to be at the aquarium for 8.30am, yes that is super early when you live in the Blue Mountains.  Although it was a very early day it was a highlight of the school holidays and the kids and I as well as my mum were looking forward to our adventures.

Kids and adults alike can learn about evolution and find out about lungfish, mudskippers, and much more.

One creature that the kids and I had never seen before was the nautilus. This creature has been around for 500 million years. Yes it is that old. We were extremely lucky to see the nautilus get fed as the staff at the aquarium do this before the centre opens.
See the feeding of the nautilus below:

You can see the nautilus a bit better in the video below:

The nautilus does not like lights or noise so therefore it is best to feed it before the place gets too noisy and also with many people with their smart phones.

You can even feed the deadly Plesiosaurus using the aquariums state of the art technology based game.

The kids had a great time at the Jurassic Seas exhibit and we then went to explore the rest of the aquarium.

Nana and Alexander checking out the penguins
Nana and Alexander checking out the penguins
Lillian looking at the penguins
Lillian looking at the penguins
Amazed at such bright and colourful fish
Amazed at such bright and colourful fish
One of the dugongs at Sydney Aquarium
One of the dugongs at Sydney Aquarium
The dugong came up for a close up
The dugong came up for a close up
The girls and Nana on the Shark Walk
The girls and Nana on the Shark Walk
Alexander and Nana looking at the bright and colourful fish
Alexander and Nana looking at the bright and colourful fish
Alexander was amazed. Not sure how much he took in and mind you he is only three months old but he seemed interested.
Alexander was amazed. Not sure how much he took in and mind you he is only three months old but he seemed interested.

 

 

The girls were lucky to be able to feed some fish before the aquarium opened for business:

One of the favourite things to do at the aquarium was the “Art Aquarium”. At first I dismissed the kids wanting to colour in the print outs. I told them we can colour in at home, I was thinking that we had so much to see and do at the aquarium that coloring in worksheets might be a waste if we missed out on seeing some interesting creatures.

Amazed by the Art Aquarium
Amazed by the Art Aquarium

 

I did see the video wall with the fish and creatures but did not put it all together.

Checking out our art
Checking out our art

The twins were telling me that they wanted to draw so that it could go on the wall.

Gosh….. what???? I took another look and then realised that the fish were coloured in by kids. They had names and you could see that they were scribbled with crayons and the like. How amazing and clever.

It was a brilliant and fabulous interactive exhibit that really got the kids involved. Once we figured out that there was more than just simple colouring in the girls got their creations happening, scanned in and we saw their creatures come to life on the art aquarium wall.

Once you have coloured in your work of art, you then scan it in so it will show up on the video wall.
Once you have coloured in your work of art, you then scan it in so it will show up on the video wall.

The new activity is available daily and is included in aquarium admission, so if you are going to the aquarium this is a must do! You will all have a blast with this activity. Trust me, we stayed here for quite a while.

The girls also had fun at the Discovery Rockpool, this is an area that allows kids and adults to touch and to learn more about the creatures. The girls patted starfish and a sea cucumber, they also got to hold a shark egg.

The girls having fun at the discovery rockpool at the aquarium
The girls having fun at the discovery rockpool at the aquarium
Julia holds a shark egg. I had no idea that it was like this. It feels like hard sea weed and it is formed like a spiral that allows the shark to have it slide into the sand easily.
Julia holds a shark egg. I had no idea that it was like this. It feels like hard sea weed and it is formed like a spiral that allows the shark to have it slide into the sand easily.

 

Would you love to take the kids to the Aquarium for the holidays or just for the weekend? Well find out all the great deals for tickets here

SeaLife Sydney Aquarium is offering FREE entry to all Defence Force Personal this ANZAC DAY

THANKS: We all had a blast at the aquarium and would like to thank those that made it possible. Thanks so much for our invite and the lovely walk around before the aquarium opened. It was amazing and made us feel very special indeed.

I just now need to win the lottery. Bring it on!
I just now need to win the lottery. Bring it on!

Since it is a big drive and kids get a bit stir crazy in the car for a few hours I like to give the kids time to run around and get some of their energy out before our huge drive home. We love to go to the Darling Harbour Playground, the twins love it and they have a fabulous time in the water park area, climbing, playing on the huge slide, getting dirty in the huge sandpit and much more. It is an amazing space. Just make sure you pack some towels, a change of clothes as kids get wet and of course dirty while having some serious fun at this playground.

Climbing and having fun
Climbing and having fun
Watching my big sisters have fun at the playground
Watching my big sisters have fun at the playground
We are going to get dizzy on this
We are going to get dizzy on this

All the different things that make water move, stop or go through are amazing.
All the different things that make water move, stop or go through are amazing.
More of the path of where the water travels in the water park at Darling Harbour
More of the path of where the water travels in the water park at Darling Harbour

Have you had a great time at the aquarium? Did you also have fun at the Darling Harbour Playground. Let us know.

Hope you are all having a fun time these school holidays. If you have not gotten to the city to have fun like we have maybe you can make a weekend of it or do it next school holidays.

 

Categories
Family

Mini Holiday for All

Today I’m driving to my mum’s and step dad’s place. They are currently house sitting in Newcastle and we are off to visit. The kids are excited as they are having a five day sleep over… Yes that means that mummy and daddy get a break (Mainly mummy gets a break in reality)

The kids feel very grown up having a sleep over with their grandparents and cannot wait for new adventures. When the kids come back we are going to be in the city and starting our weekend adventure in the city for the long weekend.

I’m staying over tonight but the kids are staying for the week and that will allow me to do some things that I have been really wanting to get done. Some of the things that I have been waiting to do are:

  • Tidying up in preparation for the new baby
  • Blog work for the new look and also posts for the current blog
  • Time out for me
  • Sleep
  • Sewing maybe????

We need to pack, tidy up some places so it is not that messy when we come home, have a shower and get ready to go.

I’m looking forward to our road trip with just the kids and I. I have made sure that I am not leaving in peak hour so that our trip will hopefully not be stuck in bumper to bumper traffic.

Have the kids in the holidays stayed with family? Has this given you a break? If you managed to have a break what did you get up to?

 

Categories
Film Reviews

The Book of Life

Yesterday was the official start to the school holidays, to mark the release of The Book of Life on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD we were invited to a screening of film.

The Book of Life on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD
The Book of Life on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD

 

What a great way to start the holidays with a lovely event from 20th Century Fox. We had a yummy breakfast, drinks, the kids had face painting and balloon animals made for them as well.

Before being invited to this event I had not heard about “The Book of Life”.

The film is about a young man called “Manolo. He wants to be a musician and follow his heart, but his family wants him to be a bullfighter like all his other family members have been. He falls in love with a girl called Maria his childhood friend. Manolo goes on a fantastic adventure that crosses different worlds where he has to face his greatest fears.

The animation was reminisced of wooden toys although it was not done in stop motion and was very clearly animated. It was brightly coloured and a joy to look at. The screen was a feast for the eyes.

So if you were like me and did not know about this clever and funny film you can learn more from the below trailer.


The Book Kitchen in Surry Hills is where the event was held and they gave us some yummy treats for breakfast. The food was super yummy and so was the fresh juice and coffee.

The day was a delight and we all had a great time. The kids and I really enjoyed the film and it really showed you that following your passion is more important than doing what is expected of you. This is so true and many people need to follow their bliss and their talent rather than get talked into something just because of family history. Did you do what you wanted in your life or did you do what was expected?

If you have seen the film what did you think? Did you enjoy it? Let us know.

The kids and I at the screening of "The Book of Life" before it goes to DVD.
The kids and I at the screening of “The Book of Life” before it goes to DVD.

Thanks so much to 20th Century Fox for our invitation to the event. Kids and I had a ball, we loved the day and especially the film.

Categories
Family

Travel Tips – Our Ballarat Winter Holiday

We all went to Ballarat for the winter holidays in 2015. Read below to find out what we got up to.

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Okay it was our winter holiday.

I was drooling over sunshine, beaches, swimming and just balmy days.

Just so you know, the Blue Mountains is freezing during winter, so a nice warm change was needed and deserved.

So where did we go for our ten day winter holiday?

We flew to Melbourne to holiday in Ballarat. Yes the weather as you can imagine was very much the same, COLD! Although I was not keen due to the cold … we had a fabulous time. Yes a wonderful time was had by all.

There was plenty to do and we kept ourselves very busy indeed.  I must say due to picking a colder location there were not a lot of people where we were. This surprised us due to it being school holidays, but maybe it might have been different if we chose Fiji as a destination instead. So think about this for your next holiday. Go were others are not, and you will avoid the crowds and still have a brilliant time.

So our first hurdle was to get to the airport with everyone intact, no tantrums and everyone relatively happy. We managed this and then made our way to check in our luggage and get our boarding passes.

 

My tips to keep kids happy on a plane:

1.       Have electronic devices fully charged and ready to go. I make sure to charge the iPad and iPhone the night before so that they have full battery power. This way the kids can make use of the inflight entertainment.

2.       If they get bored with the electronic entertainment I make sure to have pens/pencils in a bag with a colouring or activity book. Even a blank book to allow creative drawing is ideal. This way your little artists can go mad and draw their masterpieces.

3.       Have some snacks just in case they don’t like what is on offer on the plane. I have two very fussy kids so making sure they have some snacks that meet their approval is ideal and also creates less arguments and annoyance. (Mainly for the parent – really this is for you to make sure you have a calm and stress free flight)

4.       Since I have twins (even if you have more than one child) one parent sits with one child one way and then we swap on the way home. This way each child gets a chance to sit next to mummy/daddy.

5.       When we book in and get our seats we try to get a window seat so that each child can have the view if there is any out the window.

6.       One big tip is we make sure the kids go to the toilet before we all board the plane. I know they might not really need to go but I make them anyway. If the worst does happen, there is a toilet on board but you don’t want an emergency dash to the loo to happen when you have to remain in your seats for take-off!

We arrived at Melbourne airport, got our hire car and then we were all on our way to Ballarat.

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What did we do while we were in Ballarat?

As you can see we kept very busy and saw a lot of the sites.

 

Our hotel did not have a restaurant and therefore we ate out for dinner every night.

Two of the restaurants were amazing and such a standout, we were super impressed with the service, food and atmosphere.

So what are these fabulous places to eat?

1.    The Forge Pizzeria @ Armstrong Street, Ballarat

Due to the fact our kids are fuss pots with eating we thought that a good pizza would be the way to go. The kids I am sorry to say are not that adventurous, so they stuck to the cheese pizza.

The Forge had a great cheese pizza for the kids and was kind enough to take off anything green like parsley or fresh herbs. Yes if there is anything green on it, it gets met with a confused look and the kids just freak out. The team at this pizzeria understand kids and made sure that the pizza was all cheese!

For the adults they have an excellent choice of pizzas with all sorts of wonderful ingredients. Anything from pumpkin, pulled pork, garlic prawns to sauerkraut.

While we waited for our pizzas to be cooked the kids occupied themselves with colouring in and drawing at a big table at the end of the restaurant. This was great as the kids were happy being there and due to it being at the end of the restaurant it was safe and you could keep an eye on the kids.

The environment is rustic and very warm. The tables are recycled and some are very long that it allows big groups and families to all share dinner or lunch together.

Once we received our pizzas we were amazed at how wonderful they tasted. The dough was so light and just melted in your mouth. Devine! Simply amazing.  I was not planning on eating the whole pizza but ended up finishing it due to how tasty it was. I could not help myself.

We were so taken with the place that we had to come back. A few days or so after our first meal at The Forge, we came back for our second meal. The waitress that helped us when we were first there was working that night and remembered us. She even remembered what drink I was drinking and organised it all for me. She was very helpful and how amazing to be remembered.

If you are ever in Ballarat you must try The Forge Pizzeria. You will be in love with it as much as we were. It is family friendly, tasty meals, kids had a blast and so did we.

The Forge Pizzeria has even been named one of the Top 10 Pizza Restaurants in Australia by MTV.com.au

2.    Fu Man Lou Dumplings – @ Camp Street, Ballarat

I was craving dumplings and due to having fussy eaters we did not entertain going to a dumpling restaurant for dinner. However we stumbled across Fu Man Lou and saw that they had Chicken Sang Choi Bao, Fried Rice, Prawn Chips and more. The kids would love this and they can try the dumplings.

We love dumplings well hubby and I do and have been craving some while in Ballarat. This place looks amazing and so groovy. Cannot wait to try some!
We love dumplings well hubby and I do and have been craving some while in Ballarat. This place looks amazing and so groovy. Cannot wait to try some!

The first thing you will notice about Fu Man Lou is that the place has a sense of humour. Even their menu is fun. Instead of saying entrée, they call it the small stuff, the mains are referred to as the bigger ones.  If you wish to have just water or soft drink that is in the no booze category. Plastered all over the walls is Fu Man Lou propaganda poking fun of the Maoist Regime.

If you are like me and crave dumplings every now and then, you can have a dumpling taster or just order a few dumplings and then see how you go.

It was great for kids as they made sure that the kids got their food first. The girls loved the Chicken Sang Choi Bao and did surprise us when they tried some dumplings.

Fu Man Lou is fab for families and has a fun atmosphere. My favourite dumpling was the Wontons in Chilli Oil, it is so yummy!

If you are ever in Ballarat and need to get a dumpling fix, Fu Man Lou is your place.

 

We all had a great time in Ballarat and surrounds. Initially I wanted to be somewhere warm and sunny. However we had a great family holiday and we did not have to fight any crowds.

Maybe we need to look at where others might not go next winter? Nope I still want to go to the beach!

Did you plan to go somewhere and then it did not work out.

Was it the beach and you ended up somewhere cold or was it the reverse?

Let us know. Did you end up having a great time anyway?

 

Categories
Family

What have I been up to?

Hello. I do apologise for not blogging sooner. Here is what has been happening lately.

We had 10 days in Ballarat and Melbourne, flew home to then fall in a heap. Before we left for our holiday hubby got ill with a bad cold. I then got sick with it while away and thought it was gone but have a few things still lurking. All okay but just annoying, and does not help when I feel tired already.

Now I have a lot of laundry to do, and due to kids deciding to wear nearly everything and get it dirty. The pile is not going down. Although I have left the lounge covers to do later as they are not urgent, but make the laundry basket have clothes over flow. Not good really. It all should be organised soon.

Washing and more washing!
Washing and more washing!

On top of making sure that we are all sorted like we were before we left for holiday, we are having renovations start next Monday. They are long waited for and much needed, but trying to race around to move things and create space is just annoying.

We need to move things around so that one room can be worked on and that means moving all furniture and items into one room and that takes a bit of planning.

I know I will love the after effect of the renovation and it will all be worth it but trying to get it all done when you are:

1. Constantly tired
2. Every time I bend over I feel like I’m going to be sick
3. Need to go to the toilet nearly every 5 secs
4. Thirsty and then I need to do point 3 more often
5. Hungry so need to eat, which then leads to the feeling of being sick even more

Is so hard! I suppose it could be worse, I could be 8 months pregnant and doing this. Currently I’m only 15 weeks.

Looking forward to the finished product.
Looking forward to the finished product.

The kids went back to school on Tuesday and they were super excited to see all their mates. Julia was so excited about being a big sister she asked her teacher if she could have some time to tell the class some special news. The teacher had no idea and from what I heard Julia was very proud and beaming when she told everyone about the impending little sister or brother on the way.

We have gone back to our regular routine. School and then after school activities, Karate and Swimming and then home. It has taken it out of me this week, it was so nice to not have to be anywhere or make lunches for kids.

Are you feeling it this week? Have you been more tired due to school going back?

As I write this I am thinking a nap might be nice, but I need to do some work to make it easier for us to move things for the renovations. I do think the bed sounds like a great idea at the moment.

Maybe a cup of tea might help me wake up a bit and then get to it.

How are you coping after holidays and school going back? Let us know.

 

Categories
Family

Our Victorian Adventures

Learn about all the fun places we went in the Winter 2015 School Holidays.

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We have been keeping very busy and have been out most days exploring.  Below is a list of the places we have visited and you can learn what we did there and see some of the photos from our visits.

Ballarat Wildlife Park

We all had a great time at the Wildlife park. Kangaroos, emus and the like are free to roam. They seemed quite tame but I did remind the kids that they still have big claws and are still wild animals.

The kangaroos let the kids pat them, feed them and be very close. They seemed very used to human contact and were very good around children.

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Show times below are for weekdays and if you wish to find out weekend show times, just click here

1:30pm     Reptile round.
2:00pm     Koala round.
2:30pm     Wombat round.
3:00pm     Crocodile OR Alligator round.
3:30pm     Tasmanian Devil and Quoll round.
4:00pm     Eagle Show

As you can see shows are every half hour. So this will keep you busy and make sure that you are not waiting around for hours to see one show.

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Sovereign Hill

There is plenty to do at Sovereign Hill and you will not be bored. If anything your feet and legs will be very tired from walking around all day.

You can try your hand at decorating candles, watch gold being poured, see lollies being made, try your hand at gold panning in the creek and have a ride on the stage coach.

Just one thing to remember: If you purchase a family pass make sure to get it validated. If you do this you can come back for a second day. We did this and it helped as our first day we arrived at about 1pm so that we had plenty of time to see the sights and then stay for the lights that evening.  We promised the kids a coach ride with the horses but missed out the first day. We managed to do the promised horse coach ride on day 2 and all was happy then.

I also did not know that with the price of the family ticket to Sovereign Hill we also got an automatic ticket to the Gold Museum for everyone.

Holiday Program open till 30th of July 2017 so you have a few days to get there if you can.

 

One of the girls is chasing the lollies that are falling down the building

 See a train go across a building.

A view of main street with the snow and the lights.
A view of main street with the snow and the lights.

Ballarat Gold Museum

After our first day at Sovereign Hill we went to the Gold Museum. The museum is in the same complex as Sovereign Hill so if you are there for one you may as well see both.

The museum is open from 9.30 am to 5.30 pm every day except Christmas Day. Last entry is 5.20 pm.

One exhibition that I was amazed by was the photographs of the whole of Ballarat. I have forgotten the photographer but he climbed up to the top of the town hall and took a 360 degree view of Ballarat at the time. The images were amazing and so sharp so that you can see every detail.

Image from the Gold Museum website.
Image from the Gold Museum website.

 

Daylesford Markets and The Amazing Mill Markets

On Sunday we went off to the Daylesford Markets.  It was a lovely sunny day and a welcome relief from the overcast days we have had. The drive was not too long from our hotel and was a pleasant drive through lovely countryside.

Once we arrived to the markets we walked around and looked at all the stalls. It was your typical markets, trinkets, clothes, and the like.

The kids got their faces painted while at the markets and then we went off to lunch at a local pub.

After lunch we visited The Amazing Mill Markets. These markets is a huge warehouse complex that houses many stalls of antiques and collectibles.

The kids new clothes
The kids new clothes

If I had heaps of money and did not have to post all my purchases back I could have gone crazy. I did purchase a jumper and a scarf for one kid and the other got a coat and a scarf also. I must say that the kids look rather stylish in their new clothes.

The Melbourne Museum

We wanted to come into Melbourne to see the Museum and catching up with friends that have decided to move to Melbourne was a great excuse to spend the day there and to see some great exhibits.

Dinosaur Bones at The Melbourne Muesum
Dinosaur Bones at The Melbourne Muesum

It was a HUGE day as we had a bit of a drive from Ballarat to Carlton and also to back to the hotel.

So what did we see there?

Well we learnt about the human body, saw the real Phar Lap, dinosaur bones, and of course a giant squid. There was so much more. The museum was enormous and it was so well done and we were super impressed.

Phar Lap at The Melbourne Museum. I did not realise that he was so tall!
Phar Lap at The Melbourne Museum. I did not realise that he was so tall!

The building was just amazing and the facilities were impressive compared to what we are used to. Some of the museum’s in Sydney are in older buildings and are limited for space. The museum in Melbourne seemed purpose built and has the space they need for all exhibits.

If you book online for tickets you get a great deal. You don’t pay for kids that are under 12.

Also for parking if you book online you pay $20 for a full day of parking. What great value is that.

 

I hope this gives you some ideas on where to take the kids on the holidays and the weekends.

We are flying home tomorrow and the kids cannot wait to see their teddies again. We have all had a fabulous time and wish our holiday could last forever but we have to go home to our life and jobs.

What have you done these school holidays? Have you had a great experience somewhere that you would love to share? Let us know.

Categories
Family

Our Ballarat Holiday so Far

Monday we started our Ballarat/Melbourne trip. We flew to Melbourne and then hired a car to allow us to drive to Ballarat and then explore the surrounds.

We were surprised that the airport at Sydney was not jammed packed with school holiday travellers. Maybe many were going to a warmer climate compared to visiting a cold Ballarat in Winter. Today was freezing and the wind did not help!

Our trip started of with us planning to be on a beach, somewhere warm and not cold like home is. However this was not to be. I looked at many options as we had already paid for the accommodation component and had certain areas within Australia, New Zealand and Fiji that we could visit. As mentioned all dates for our trip were full in any warm area. Some places were great for us but the kids would be bored out of their brains.

I decided on Ballarat due to the proximity to Melbourne, and the fact that there is a lot to do for families in Ballarat and surrounds.

Pop Up Ice Skating Rink

Our first full day in Ballarat was Tuesday. I had organised tickets to the Pop Up Ice Skating Rink in the main part of Ballarat town centre. The kids were so excited to go skating but that did not last long. I joined them but was concerned about falling over. Julia had a bit of a fall but was all good, however she was upset and in need of cuddles. Both kids then decided that they did not want to skate anymore and would like to try the tobogganing. This was a huge hit and we all had a go.

The Tangled Maze

After our time at Winterlude we decided to go to the Tangled Maze. We all had lunch before we tackled the maze and that was a good move. There were many things to find to answer the questions in the maze and we were there for a while.

The kids racing around The Tangled Maze.
The kids racing around The Tangled Maze.
One side of the maze. It was all created out of hedges and flowers. It would have taken ages, it also looked very pretty.
One side of the maze. It was all created out of hedges and flowers. It would have taken ages, it also looked very pretty.

The maze really tired out the twins. They had fun, found the answers to the questions that we were given and managed to get out of the maze without having to be saved.

The kids having a fab time running around the Tangled Maze
The kids having a fab time running around the Tangled Maze

Kyral Castle

I had no idea that there was a castle in Ballarat! But there is. Kyral Castle has a draw bridge, a moat and of course a dragon.

The kids and I outside Kyral Castle
The kids and I outside Kyral Castle

“In 1972, Keith Ryall began building the castle, which formally opened 2 years later primarily as a tourist attraction but also as an educational, conference and function facility with ‘royal’ accommodation and a wedding chapel.”

The fire performer at Kryal Castle.
The fire performer at Kryal Castle.

There were so many things to do for kids at Kryal Castle.

Here are some of the events from the Kryal website:

The daily program consists of:

10:15 – Roving performers

11:30 – Mounted Skill at Arms

12:00 – The Storyteller – Grab a seat and join The Kryal Storyteller by the fire in the rotunda.

12:30 – Roving performers

1:30 – The Joust of the Flame –   In the land of Kryal there is an ancient tradition. In the darkest depths of winter, when the snows fall, the moat turns to ice and people hide away indoors against the fearsome winds from the west, they are visited by a dark and powerful force.

We did do the maze at Kryal Castle but the kids needed to be rescued. They were fine and all worked out well. So if you do the maze with the kids make sure they stay with you.

The dragon at Kryal Castle
The dragon at Kryal Castle

If you are ever in Ballarat make sure you visit Kryal Castle. You will have a great family day out.

Stay tuned for more of our holiday adventures.

Hope you are all having a great time these school holidays. What have you been up to so far? Let us know.

Categories
Film Reviews

Disney’s Inside Out

Do you love Disney Films? I do! I love the magic, the wonder and the imagination that the films have. It also makes you feel like you are in the created world and it makes you want to go back again and again. Maybe I have never really grown up and that is why I still adore Disney Films.

So when I got an email asking if I would like to attend a Disney Premiere…… of course I said YES! Wouldn’t you? I bet you would!

Due to this fabulous event being held on a school night it took a bit more to organise kids and myself getting into the city. I got the kids an hour early from school and we raced home to get dressed and ready. Once all done, we got a taxi to the train station and then we were off to the city.

I fed the kids in the city as the film was going to end late so wanted to make sure their bellies were full before the show. Once dinner was completed we walked over to the movies and waited for hubby.

Normally on a Monday night we are home, and doing all the normal Monday night things. Homework, Readers, Making dinner and the like. It was a nice a change to be in the city with the family for a fun event.

So what film did we see?

We saw Inside Out. Yes we were lucky to get tickets to see it before the film officially opens on June 18th, this Thursday actually.

If you have not seen the trailer for the film, check it out below. This is one of my favourite parts of the film.


What is Inside Out About?

Riley who is an eleven year old girl moves from Minnesota due to her dad that he has a new job. They relocate to San Francisco and this is where Riley struggles to stay happy due to her new home, new school, new friends and new city.

Riley’s emotions, Joy, Fear, Disgust, Anger and Sadness try and help with this adjustment to San Francisco however Sadness accidentally turns a core emotion that was happy into a sad one memory. This impacts Riley’s emotional state and she struggles to keep joyful and be her usual self. With the loss of Riley’s core memories, Joy and Sadness work on trying to restore them so that Riley can once be her happy self.

The other emotions are left in the control room to help right the mistake but due to Joy and Sadness being available, Anger, Disgust, and Fear are left to help Riley.

This film is a great way for children to address emotions and understand how certain feelings impact your character and you as a person.

It is a good talking point when your child is either grumpy to say do you feel like, Anger today or if Happy do you feel like Joy? I’m sure you will agree that this is a fun way to understand more of what your child is feeling and thinking.

The emotions from the film Inside Out.
The emotions from the film Inside Out.


For the premiere it was in 3D and I had no idea. It was very impressive and it looked amazing. Not sure if every cinema is running a 3D version of Inside Out, you might need to check. I also don’t know if it was just something for the preview.

It is a great film to take the kids to these school holidays. You will love it just as much as the kids.

We all had a great time. It was a huge day and we got back very late for a school night. Although it was a HUGE day it was worth it and we were glad to be part of it. Thanks Disney for the invitation to the Inside Out Premiere and we all had a blast!

Here are some of the pictures from the night.

Family photo booth fun at the Inside Out Premiere.
Family photo booth fun at the Inside Out Premiere.

I’m sure you will be in love with this film as much as we did. Have fun and it is just in time for the holidays.

Have you seen Inside Out? What did you think? What was your favourite character? Was it one of the emotions?  Let us know.

 

Categories
Family

Meditation and Deep Breaths

Kids are now back at school and having a fab time. YES! Thank goodness you hear me say! I think I need another two weeks to be at the same energy and speed I was at before school holidays. Do you find you need some weeks to yourself as your little holiday? I know I do!

Just between you and me, there have been more than a few times that I did deep breathing and relaxation exercises to chill myself out.  Holidays are always full on in my house. Kids want to go at a million miles an hour and never seem to get tired. They wake earlier and carry on till late and then repeat it all again the next day. Exhausting really! Why is it that they can sleep in on school days but not holidays or weekends? If you know let me know!

I did love lazing about at home with no particular thing to do or be at. No school lunches to make and I did not have to race off to pick kids up from anything. This was great, but there was one thing that I missed and dread on school holidays.

It is some quiet time for me!  I do love some time out with no noise, yelling, fighting and carrying on that allows me to just do my thing. I can think, I can just sit with my own thoughts for a while. Being on the go constantly takes its toll. Just having a little time alone is a help. 

Meditating with Body Beyond Birth
Meditating with Body Beyond Birth

So what did I do that helped a bit?

As you know I have participating in the Body Beyond Birth 12 week program. I have struggled with a sore eye and of course then school holidays, but I did manage to do some wonderful meditation videos. These left me feeling much calmer than before I did the mediation and armed to face the rest of my day.

If you have not looked at Body Beyond Birth, why not take a look at their brilliant website and all the great resources there. The program is fun and you can take it with you if you travel.

What allowed you to get through the school holidays calmer? Did you manage to find time for you? Exercise or see a mate that you love to chat to? Let us know.

Let us know your thoughts. Why not continue the discussion on our Facebook and Twitter pages.

 

Categories
Things to do

Our Preview of The Easter Show

As you might already know the kids and I were lucky enough to have a preview of the Sydney Royal Easter Show. It was a HUGE day. We all got up very early as we had to be there by 9.30 for 10am. Yes this does not sound bad but when you are coming from the Blue Mountains and leaving in peak hour it can all go wrong so easily.

I thought it best to have more time up my sleeve so planned to be there for 9am. I did not want to be late. That would just be terrible!

onwaytotheshow

We did hit a lot of traffic but all was good due to allowing extra time. Thank goodness for Google Maps and getting up early, oh and kids not whinging due to getting up early.

The show officially opened on Thursday (yesterday to be precise) and of course they are expecting about 900,000 or more people to visit.  Now that is a lot of people coming over to your place for a visit! Glad I don’t have to tidy or organise for this event.!

So what did we think of the preview of the Easter Show?

The kids did not know at first where we were off to. Once we arrived I told them we are seeing the Easter Show before the public sees it. They did not know what public was. I then said, “We are seeing the show before anyone else does. It is not open yet and opens tomorrow”. This was understood and they felt very special about being at the showground.

First of all we were taken to every part via a train. It was not a massive train, more like a little train that takes kids and tourists around a show.

The girls waiting for us to leave on the train. It was very nice to be taken to every event at the show!
The girls waiting for us to leave on the train. It was very nice to be taken to every event at the show!

Our first stop was the Woolworth’s food pavilion.

They were still setting up the exhibits and doing final touches on the great artwork that uses vegetables and fruit. It looked amazing and is so clever. So much time and hard work has gone into this visual display.

Due to ANZAC Day being the 100th anniversary the show is commemorating this in the displays. You will note that they have signs with “Lest We Forget” and great tributes to our brave soliders that fought for us all.

 

 

 

Stop 2. Then we were off to see the animals

The big highlight was the animals. The girls really loved this part of the day!

Fun patting the animals #animals #Easter #EasterShow #kids

A video posted by Suzanne (@mummytotwinsblog) on

       

Moo moo at the Easter Show! #EasterShow #Easter #fun #holidays A video posted by Suzanne (@mummytotwinsblog) on

 

 

Last stop was to see the motorbikes in the stadium

The kids were amazed at the skillful guys that jumped in the air with their motorbikes. They were daredevils and it was very impressive!


Julie Power who is a reporter for the Sydney Morning Herald was also at the preview of the Easter Show.  Julie’s article mentioned  the blog! Check out the fab story here!

If you are going to the show have a fun time. Make sure to plan your day with the Sydney Royal Easter Show website.

 

Categories
6 years and beyond

Our travels

I have wanted to post about our travels but have been either exhausted or off keeping the kids entertained.

We had great adventures while at Coffs Harbour. What did we get up to?

Traveling by Plane

Firstly getting to Coffs Harbour was a great adventure. The kids and traveled by plane without hubby and it was good that I can now take the kids with me without another adult. (When they were babies, I had to have another adult if I wished to fly. So this is good that I can travel with them if I need to)

The kids used the in flight entertainment and once they were involved with their shows it was hard to get their attention. It kept them occupied for the flight and they really enjoyed the service that was offered. We used the free Virgin App and connected to their wifi, aside from announcements the service was non stop. They paused it to make sure everyone heard any important messages.

Before we took off from Sydney Airport, the kids were busy with their in flight entertainment on the iPhone and iPad and then the alert to make sure you have your seat belts on sounded. Lillian yelled at the top of her lungs, “What is wrong! What was that!” I told her to stop yelling and that all was fine that it was just saying to keep your seat belts on. Julia signaled to me with an up arrow finger asking without talking if we were up in the air. I said no.

I was thankful the confusion about the seat belt alert did not start a panic.

The Beach

Once we arrived it did not stop raining and it was big down pours of rain! Yes we went to Coffs Harbour for a summer holiday and time at the beach to then have heaps of rain. We were lucky to work around the afternoon storms and managed to get to the beach about three times on our holiday.

I love the sea and it feels so refreshing to swim at the beach and makes me miss my childhood home, Queensland. The girls loved it and really enjoyed being in the water. The last time we were here, they did not know that the water was salt and drank some. This time they did not make this mistake.  I was very pleased the kids enjoy the beach as much as I do.

Off to the Movies

Due to the rain, we all went to the movies as everything was soggy and wet. Grandma, Nana, the kids and I saw Big Hero 6 and it was a fabulous film. Very funny and entertaining. Adults will love it as much as the kids.

The kids with Baymax from Big Hero 6
The kids with Baymax from Big Hero 6

Off course paying for tickets to the movies made the sun come out and we were able to go to the beach again. Yes more time at the beach!

 

Spring Loaded Indoor Play Centre

Fun jumping! #fun #trampolines #holidays #schoolholidays #kids

A video posted by Suzanne (@mummytotwinsblog) on

One of grandma’s friends from work told us about a place called Spring Loaded. It is an indoor play centre with a difference. They have gymnastic like equipment and it is all safe with mats everywhere. You do have to sign a disclaimer when you enter, but I think as long as the kids are careful all should be good.  

Indoor Rock Climbing
Indoor Rock Climbing

 

Solitary Islands Aquarium

The kids had a blast at The Solitary Islands Aquarium. They touched starfish and other animals. They caught fish and looked through a microscope. The guides at the aquarium were very knowledgeable and we learnt a lot from our visit. I had no idea that octopus lay so many eggs, thousands to be precise and that the male octopus give the sperm to the female octopus via a tube and from distance to ensure they don’t get eaten or killed by the female. Who knew!  

  Octopus getting a snack. #aquarium #octopus #kids #coffsharbour   A video posted by Suzanne (@mummytotwinsblog) on

Holding a starfish
Holding a starfish

New Year’s Eve Fireworks

The girls were very excited that we might see the fireworks. We stayed up and were lucky enough to see them from Grandma and Grandad’s balcony at home. How amazing was it that it was a clear night or not that cloudy to allow a better view. See the videos below as the kids enjoy the night.

Amazing fireworks #NewYearsEve #NYE2015 #kids A video posted by Suzanne (@mummytotwinsblog) on

  The kids see New Year’s Eve Fireworks #fireworks #NewYearsEve #NYE2015 #kids   A video posted by Suzanne (@mummytotwinsblog) on


Of course it was nice to catch up with the kids grandparents and to see my mum their other set of grandparents as well. It was a good trip and we all had fun. It is great to be home.

However I have a messy house as per usual to sort out, I have nearly done the washing but need to put things away and due to holidays have been trying to keep two kids busy and entertained. Yesterday we caught up with my sister and her baby. Nana and Opa were staying with them for a week so that was good that we could all catch up again. The day before due to a massive storm here I took the kids to an indoor play centre to run off some energy. Today is the only day home for a rest.

What have you been up to these school holidays?

Stay tuned for our next adventure at the Maritime Museum and our stay in the city on Friday night.

 

Categories
6 years and beyond

Movies and Now Sunshine!

We arrived safely in Coffs Harbour but the nice sunshine was not to be. It was non stop rain for the last two days and now today sunshine has finally graced us.

It seems a pity that the sunshine picked today to shine. Today is the day due to the non stop rain that we are all off to the movies. I was not too sure what to do with the kids in the rain, and thought that a film would be a nice filler due to it being so wet. I did think that as soon as we did it, paid for tickets we would wake to a lovely day.

The kids with Baymax at the movies
The kids with Baymax at the movies

I will make sure to take swimmers and towels for later and hopefully we will fit in a swim at the beach today or at the latest tomorrow.

Have you gone somewhere sunny to then have bad weather. I am grateful that it appears that we will get to experience some good weather for some of the days. However I did note that the weather report before I left predicted rain all week. Maybe it has changed? I can only hope.

The twins are racing around everywhere and finding it hard to walk. I keep on telling them to walk not run, but I get the excuse, “We are excited Mummy!” Oh it is going to be a long week if I keep on having to tell them to walk instead of running. On the plus side we are having a fabulous time and the kids are enjoying seeing both sets of grandparents.

It is very warm here and a welcome change from the cool mornings and evenings of the mountains. Even though it is summer the mountains are still a bit nippy on some days. I miss the warmth of more balmy climates and being at the beach.

Are you having a great holiday or have you had to go back to work? Maybe you are off soon on a holiday in January rather than take it now?

I hope you are having a great time with family and friends. I have to go and get myself and the twins ready to go and see Big Hero 6 at the movies, they and I cannot wait to see the film.

 

Categories
6 years and beyond

School Holidays The Smart Way

Kids having fun at vacation care. Image courtesy of photostock at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Kids having fun at vacation care. Image courtesy of photostock at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Do you use vacation care? I only used a day here or there, but the last school holidays I sent the twins three days in a week. It has been a god sent. Yes me time in the holidays. Who would have thought, being relaxed in the school holidays. I was not meaning to have them in for three days in one week, however the vacation care provider has great activities to do during the holidays. One in particular was drumming and music and the other was a craft day that was themed and of course carried over to another day.

Due to the kids love of music and of course creating as much artwork that is humanly possible I thought they would love it. It would be a win for me and them. They would have fun with kids, some their friends from school and new kids. While at care the twins will be taken to excursions or otherwise known as different activities for the day. You don’t have to sign up to these excursions but it is only a little bit extra and it makes the day much more fun for the kids.

I realised that I was much more relaxed due to having more me time and also less stressed. In hindsight I did the last school holidays all wrong. I was run off my feet entertaining the girls. Although I enjoyed it I am only one person with limited resources. A care facility can and does organise so much better events and excursions than I can.

Next school holidays I am doing it smarter and booking the kids into a few days of care.

Other mums commented on how relaxed I looked and it was like I went away on holiday. NO holiday on a fancy island or resort. Just the simple thing of having some time for me. Quiet time to allow me to do whatever I wanted. Sewing, blogging, resting, catching up on TV shows, going to the shops that are far away (yes having the kids in care allows me to travel down the mountain and to go to the shops. Fancy going to a dress shop without the worry of kids touching everything!)

So come the next holidays I am going to do it the right way this time. I cannot afford too many days of care, but a day here and there is a great help and allows me to do my own thing. It is a holiday after all. I find it sad that it seems like it is just a holiday for the kids. When is it my holiday time? Yes I know very rarely, but you have to try and find time for you and your mini holidays.

Do you use vacation care? Has it been as amazing for you? Do your kids love it? I love it, but it is mainly due to me being able to do whatever for a day. A full day rather than a school day. YES!!!! I hear you say, where do I sign up.

Centrelink also gives you a subsidy for care so you pay a certain amount but this depends on the percentage for your rebate. If you are interested you can check with Centrelink.  This does make it cheaper and more accessible for all.