Bosisto's Plant 1 Million Trees + Giveaway

One of my favorite Australian Brands is currently running a pretty incredible community project of planting 1 million trees in Australia in 2013.  Bosisto's Eucalyptus new plantations will help support local farms and farmers while benefiting the environment.

The best thing is how easy it is for us all to help - All you have to do is purchase a specially labelled bottle of Bosisto's pure Oil or Solution, and Bosisto's will plant a tree for you!!  If you are not sure how you can use Eucalyptus Oil around the home, click here to request a free handy hints brochure to get you started.

Bosisto's have also very generously supplied 3 $225 Bosisto's Eucalyptus Packs for me to giveaway to readers of the Your Cheeky Monkey Blog.   In each of the packs you will get all of the following:

A pretty fantastic prize I'm sure you will all agree with me!  And there is THREE up for grabs!

 

Simply use the Rafflecopter form below to enter, making sure to complete all fields to be eligible.  Australian entries only please.  Giveaway starts on the 21st May 2013 and runs for 2 weeks.  Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

Disclaimer: Bosisto's sent me a pack of Eucalyptus Oil and Gardening products to let me know about this promotion.  No payment was made for this post, and any opinions expressed are my own.

Recipe: Papaya Banana & Buttermilk Cake #papayaOz

Papaya Banana & Buttermilk Cake


Ingredients:

125g Butter, well softened
1 ripe Banana, mashed
200g mashed Papaya or Pawpaw flesh
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups Self Raising Flour
1/2 cup Buttermilk
1 teaspoon bicarb of soda
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Method:

Place all ingredients in the bowl of your stand mixer.

Mix 30 seconds at low speed to combine.  Scrape bowl down then mix for 1 minute at medium speed (if you don't have a stand mixer use a large bowl and electric beater or food processor).

Scrape batter into cake pan of your choice (I like to use my Tupperware Silicone Mould for all my cakes as it doesn't require greasing or lining with baking paper).

Bake 45 minutes at 180 deg C (or until a skewer comes out clean).

Serve warm with cream, or cold as a normal cake.  Great for school lunches!  Oh, and I never ice cakes as I find with children they always end up eating the icing and not the cake ;-)

I have created this recipe to take part in the #papayaOz promotion over at CRAP Mamma

Top Tips for Using a Slow Cooker

My favorite cooking appliance in the kitchen is by far my slow cooker.  Whether you are a pregnant Mum at home with children, someone who works long hours, or just love to eat casseroles and soups, the slow cooker is for you.  I use mine probably a couple of times a week to cook anything from lamb to beef stew to soups to honey chicken to meatloaf.  It is the most versatile appliance, and there is nothing better than knowing your dinner is simmering away all day ready to dish up at dinnertime.  You can also use cheap cuts of meat that make your meals extremely budget friendly (as well as tastier than expensive cuts of meat!).  Please be aware that I am in no way a professional cook or trained chef... I'm sure some of them would disagree with my thoughts!  But having said that I thought I would share some of the things I have discovered through many years of trial and error with the slow cooker, and what works for me on a day to day basis.

1. I never brown meat before placing in the slow cooker.  I really don't find it makes much difference to the end dish, and it sort of defeats the purpose of using the slow cooker in the first place.  By the time the meat bubbles away all day it develops a nice rich flavour and texture anyway.
2. Slow cookers are VERY versatile and forgiving.  Don't be afraid to experiment with recipes or your own creations.  I find I can pretty much chuck in anything in the cupboard to cook and it works out fine.  The best combinations I like are meat + veggies + tomato of some sort (either tinned tomatoes or bottles of tomato based pasta sauces).  Then at the end you can even add sour cream or satay sauce for some different meal ideas.
3. Always remember slow cookers produce a lot more liquid than other methods of cooking.  What this means is that you don't need to add much sauce or stock to begin with, and in fact your creation usually looks dry to begin with (unless making soup of course).  If your meal is too liquidy at the end, thicken with cornflour mixed in a little water.
4. Things that need to cook quickly don't usually work very well in the slow cooker.  The best example of this is seafood - I haven't really found any recipes that I like with fish or seafood made in the slow cooker.
5. The cheaper the cut of meat the better.  For example use chicken thighs, chuck steak, lamb shanks etc.  Expensive low fat cuts of meat can tend to turn out a bit dry and tasteless.
6. Don't keep lifting the lid to stir the food or check on it.  You usually only need to stir once late in the afternoon.
7. Always cook way more than you need - I like to have enough for 3 meals out of one slow cooker dish (one that night, one the next night, and one to put in the freezer).
8. Loan some slow cooker cook books from the library, and photocopy some of the recipes that sound like they would suit you.  Then keep a folder of your favorites to have on hand for when life gets busy (and keep the basic ingredients in your pantry and fridge).
9. Add any diary products a little while before serving, they only need to be warmed through not cooked.
10. Then serve in a variety of ways - I find slow cooker meals all work well with either mash potato, rice, or lovely fresh crusty bread.

What are your favorite meals to cook in the slow cooker??

Review: Table of Plenty Hot or Cold Muesli

With winter well and truly on its way I'm sure you, like us, are electing to have yummy warm oats in the mornings rather than cereal with cold milk.  For quite a few years now there has been the standard quick cook oats available, but this year there is a yummy new alternative out from one of my favorites food companies - Table of Plenty.

Hot or Cold Muesli is a pack of 8 sachets of muesli which you can actually eat either cold (as normal muesli) or hot (as porridge).  After trialling both ways, my family most enjoy eating it hot!

I also thought I would show you the difference between normal quick cook oats (on the right in the picture below) and the Table of Plenty Hot or Cold Muesli (on the left below).  As you can clearly see, the Table of Plenty Muesli certainly has a much bigger variety of ingredients (raw oats with cinnamon honey flavours and sultanas and pepitas).  I know which one I prefer to give my family!

The only suggestion I would make is that I would love to see bulk packs of 16 or 20 available - when you have 4 people in your family (or more!) a pack of 8 certainly doesn't go very far!!  But overall, this new product is absolutely delicious and pretty good value at $5.99 per box for a nutritious breakfast.

Disclaimer: I was sent a box of Hot or Cold Muesli to try.  No payment was received for this review.

Who remembers these?

Having a 13 month old Bub around the house means there is always a trail of emptied out drawers and shelves wherever she goes.  Which on one hand is a royal pain in the butt, but on the other hand it has given me a great excuse to empty out some drawers myself and have a good clean-out.

A couple of weeks ago she got into the bottom drawer of the filing cabinet in the office.  Which was definitely not a drawer she should have been into, but it kept her occupied for ages and I didn't have the heart to put a stop to it.  So we ended up cleaning this one out, and believe me when I say there was stuff piled in there from 25 years ago.

I filled up a big rubbish bag with all sorts of (to put it nicely) crap, and what did I find right at the bottom??

A Sanyo Portable Cassette Player!!!

Whoever thought there would be any of these left in existence!!! So now the question is, do I turf it, or do I keep it for a laugh??

FYI, I'm loving the cleaned out bottom drawer of my filing cabinet now.  Extension cords and adaptors easily to hand, and all the batteries safely in a clip top box so little hands can't get ahold of them.  Fantastic! ;-)


Some other posts you may enjoy reading:
10 Things to do in the First Trimester
10 Things to do in the Second Trimester
10 Things to do in the Third Trimester
Your Cheeky Monkey Review at Hip Little One
What products do you really need for your newborn baby?


Having a Baby?
Check out our Hospital Bag Checklist! 

Review & Giveaway: What To Expect Book Series

If you follow this blog at all, you know I had my third (and last!) baby last year.  One thing I really enjoyed about all my pregnancies was all the fantastic pregnancy and baby books I avidly read right from before I fell pregnant, to during the pregnancy, to after baby arrived.  Especially for my first baby when it was all very new to me and I literally had no idea what was going on!

There is such a huge range of books on the market now (and of course varying opinions expressed in each book).  I am the sort of person that likes to read a large amount of material, and then take away the information I find relative.  There is however, also the sort of people that like to religiously follow one book or author... and one I have heard talked about a lot in this manner is the What To Expect series, written by Heidi Murkoff.

So I am really excited to be able to offer this giveaway to you, with thanks to the What To Expect team.  I have 3 sets of the 3 books below to giveaway:

1. What To Expect Before You're Expecting - The Complete Preconception Plan.  This is a step-by-step guide to making a baby.  Approximately 250 pages containing information, hints, plans, boosting your fertility, a fertility chart and heaps more.  I didn't know this book was in the series, but I am really impressed with the amount of information provided and wish I had it when TTC baby #3!
2. What To Expect When You're Expecting - This book covers from the planning stage right through to postpartum.  This book has sold over 16 million copies, which certainly goes a long way to explaining its popularity as a pregnancy bible.  This book is set out in a manner I really enjoyed reading - month by month.  Most questions and concerns are covered in this book - you won't find lists of the worst things that can happen during pregnancy or jokes about the process (as some seem to like these days), but it is an extensive bible of 600 pages.
3. What To Expect The First Year- I love this book!!  I'm so sad my daughter is past 12 months of age (hence giving my set of books away in this giveaway), I would have LOVED to have this on hand during the past year.  800 pages of fantastic month by month information.  Topics that are covered include decoding crying, helping baby sleep through the night, breastfeeding, starting solids, and so much more.  Especially if you are a first time Mum, be sure to read a copy of this book.

Two sets will be given away to entrants Australia wide, and I am giving my review set away to an entrant from the Gold Coast.

 

Each book has a huge amount of information in it, and would be a perfect addition to your library, especially if you are currently trying to conceive.

To enter, simply use the Rafflecopter below to answer the 2 questions and like the required facebook pages.  Too easy!!  Winners will be notified by email.


<a Rafflecopter giveaway

WINNERS - ANGIE, AMANDA AND MICHELLE

Disclaimer: I received a set of the above books to review for this post.  I am including this set in the giveaway.

Review + Recipe: Masha Spinach Dip

A couple of weeks ago an interesting little appliance arrived in the mail called a Masha.  A Masha is used for exactly what the name implies - to mash potatoes and any other soft foods you may want to mash rather than mix or blend.  Now, I have to admit, I thought do I really need another gadget in the kitchen???  Why on earth would you need an appliance just to mash potatoes??

However, reading through the information, I found out that the Masha actually gently squeezes the potato through the outer holes, or mesh.  It has no blade and works at a low speed, so yes, you can even get your kids to use it.  It is also designed to be easy to use for arthritis sufferers and the older generation.  It is also a nice sleek, compact design, so it easily fits into a drawer or cupboard.

The image below shows my first go at using the Masha.  I think it shows nicely how the mash is being pushed through the mesh along with the milk and butter.  The resulting mash is just divine, very smooth.  I'm not sure how it does it, because when I normally do mash with a hand masher, it always turns out lumpy no matter how long I mash for!!

Want to try something a bit different with your Masha?  Here is a little creation of mine my family love... even my kids!!

Masha Spinach Dip Recipe

250g packet frozen spinach
200g tub light Sour Cream
125g can Creamed Corn
40g sachet French Onion Soup
1/2 cup mayonnaise (Whole Egg works best)
1-2 T Gherkin Relish (to taste)

Thaw the spinach, and squeeze excess liquid out.

Place all your ingredients into a large bowl.

Then use your Masha and blend the mixture together.

Place into a serving bowl and serve with crackers and crudites of your choice.

As a final note to this review, I would like to mention that I think it is such a handy and effective kitchen appliance I have already bought one for friends as an engagement gift, and there are some birthdays coming up I also plan on giving Masha's for.  Now if that isn't a great testimonial I don't know what is ;-)

Cheers, Monique xx


Disclaimer: I received a Masha to review and create a recipe with.  I was not paid for this post, and any opinions expressed are my own.

Review: aden+anais

If you have had a baby in the last few years, you will without a doubt have heard of aden+anais.  You might have been given one of their muslins as a baby gift, or even bought one yourself.  The brand is based around the Australian tradition of using cotton muslin for babies, and has turned into a cult brand known around the world and used by many celebrities.  Raegan Moya-Jones, co-founder of aden+anais is actually an Australian, however started the brand in the USA when pregnant with her first child.

We all know aden+anais have the lovely muslin swaddles and blankets for newborns, but did you know they have products suitable for older babies as well?  My 12 month old and I have been road-testing some lately... and we love them all!

The Cot Sheet and Dream Blanket have been.... well.... Dreamy.  The cot sheet comes in a single pack of just an elasticated bottom sheet.  It is (naturally) made of muslin, and is a nice generous size for all cot mattresses.  The Dream Blanket is a heavenly 4 layers of Muslin, and a fantastic 1.2 x 1.2m size.  This allows you to comfortably tuck it into the cot on both sides to keep Bub nicely tucked in.  Although I am used to using a top sheet, I have not found one necessary with this set-up for daytime naps as the blanket is big enough to tuck in, and soft enough on babies skin that you don't need a sheet between it and your baby.  As you can see below, my little one looks very happy asleep in her muslin.  Plus the Dream Blanket can be used anywhere else your little one wants to cuddle up... reading a book, in front of the TV, and don't forget to take it if you are travelling as a perfect all round blanket.

Also perfect for older babies are the Cozy Sleeping Bags from aden+anais.  The Cozy Sleeping Bags are (like the Dream Blankets) 4 layers of muslin, perfect to keep your baby warm on cold nights.  The last few nights my daughter has slept really well, I think the muslin is keeping her at the perfect temperature all night.  Even if it has warmed up a bit during the night she hasn't stirred as the muslin creates a little cocoon that breathes and allows for more fluctuation of temperature than other traditional sleeping bags.  We are definitely addicted to this one, and might have to buy another as winter goes on to allow for washing and drying times (I don't like putting muslin in the dryer as it goes all wrinkly and distorted).

My daughter is shown below in the Large size (12-18 months), which as you can see is a nice generous sizing even though she is on the large rather than small scale for a 12 month old.  I would say this will definitely do us right through winter.  I also like the design in that the armholes are not gaping like some other brands we have used, and the front zipper is very fine with a top flap under her chin so it doesn't annoy her whatever position she ends up in.  We highly recommend this sleeping bag for babies of all ages.

And last but definitely not least we have also been using the mum + bub hair + body wash.  Where do I start with this?  Luxurious enough for me, but gentle and nourishing enough for my baby.  I LOVE the multi-use aspects of this product.  One bottle in the shower to use for my body wash and my daughters shampoo and body wash... perfect.  It leaves her skin very soft and smells absolutely divine.  Containing pawpaw for its amazing properties, I don't know how I managed without this product before!  Life is so busy for me at the moment with 3 children and 2 businesses, I am currently showering with my 12 month old to save time and do 2 jobs in one (rather than bathing her early then not getting a chance to shower myself until about 9 pm).  When we both jump in the shower together after her dinner, I sit her on the floor to play with bath toys while I wash myself, then soap her up, rinse off and we are done!  So as you can see, this hair + body wash fits into our lifestyle perfectly.

Looking for the aden+anais swaddling muslins for babies?  Find a gorgeous range of organic aden+anis muslin wraps right here.

Finally a big thank you to aden+anais for generously sending me the above goodies to review... I hope you end up trying some of them out, I am sure you will love them as much as we do!


Disclaimer: I received one of each of the above products to review and blog about, no payment was received for this post, and any opinions expressed are my own.

Giveaway: Ferrari Model LEGO Cars

Lego fans and Ferrari fans be warned!  Shell has just launched an exciting new promotion in collaboration with Ferrari and the LEGO Group in Australia - six exclusive Ferrari model LEGO cars based on some of the most iconic vehicles in Ferrari’s motoring history: 

• the Ferrari 150 Italia
• the Ferrari 250 GT Berlinette passo corto
• the Ferrari F40
• the Ferrari FXX
• the Ferrari 458 Italia
• a Scuderia Ferrari Truck

For those with a tech mind, the limited edition Ferrari model LEGO cars have the smallest pull-back motor ever produced by LEGO Group. They are capable of performing over 300 pulls, propelling the 30g vehicles up to two metres.

Shell and LEGO worked on the development of the mini-motor for over 18 months, expressing the spirit of technological innovation and improved performance that is at the heart of Shell V-Power fuel and Shell’s partnership with Ferrari.

“This campaign represents the joint passion for performance that Shell shares with Ferrari, whilst incorporating the fun and imaginative nature of LEGO. Whether our customers are fans of Ferrari, motorsport or LEGO bricks, we think these toys will provide an exciting opportunity for them.” Jane Morwick, Shell Retail Business Manager

From Monday 18 March, customers are able to purchase the limited edition Ferrari model LEGO collectibles exclusively at Shell Coles Express sites across Australia. A new model will be available each week for six weeks.

The cars are $6 each with a $40 purchase of Shell V-Power or $8 without a fuel purchase.

Motorsport fans can learn more about Shell’s Technical Partnership with the Ferrari team by visiting www.shell.com/motorsport.  Plus motorists can download the Shell Motorist App to their iPhone or Android to locate Shell V-Power stockists, or visit www.shell.com.au/fuelfinder.

Psssst: These cars will be snapped up very quickly and will soon become Collector’s items!

As you can see by the pictures below, my sons just love theirs!!

 

Giveaway: We have one full set of LEGO Ferrari cars to giveaway including a set of money-can’t-buy mini figures (only 2,000 available in Australia!!).  Just use the Rafflecopter form below to lodge your entry.
 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

WINNER - TRILBY

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post for Shell (http://www.shell.com.au/ ) and Digital Parents Collective (http://digitalparentscollective.com.au/)

You can touch my belly, but please don't touch my baby

I'm going to go against general consensus with this post.  I'm going to say that when I have been pregnant I have never really had an issue with people touching my belly.  I personally always found it was done in a respectful, almost reverential, manner.  It is sort of a buddha effect... an automatic reach out to take joy in the new life.  They are simply sharing in your excitement.

I see the popular pregnancy t-shirts going around with the slogan on them that goes something like "Yes I'm pregnant, it's a boy/girl, and NO you can't touch my tummy".  I do understand, for some Mums it is a total invasion of personal space, but from my point of view it is a joyous touch.... not an insensitive grope or poke. 

What I do however take offense at is people touching my babies once they are out.  How do I know if they have washed their hands?  Where have they been?  Did they go to the toilet but not wash their hands with soap.  Are they coming down with a virus?  I really think it is rude and insensitive to grab a babies hands or rub them on the head.  Sure, bend down and say hello to the baby, but PLEASE don't touch other people's babies unless the Mum or Dad invites you to.   I also get annoyed at people that let their kids grab babies.  I have always taught my boys to lightly touch a baby on the foot only.  Never on the hands or head or face.

Ok, whinge over.  Just don't touch my baby ;-)

Some other posts you may enjoy reading:

10 Things to do in the First Trimester
10 Things to do in the Second Trimester
10 Things to do in the Third Trimester
Your Cheeky Monkey Review at Hip Little One
What products do you really need for your newborn baby?
Baby Gift Baskets for delivery to Pindara Hospital

Recipe: Asparagus Fish

I have to start off by giving complete credit for this recipe to my Mum and Gran.  This is a dish we grew up with, and it is not only extremely yummy, it is super easy and suitable for the whole family (its great to blend or mash up for baby too).  The ingredients can be easily kept on hand ready for when you have some fresh fish.

With a baby on the move about the house, I dislike cooking on the stove at the moment, so this is a great alternative to still be able to eat fish.

ASPARAGUS FISH

Boneless fish fillets or steaks for number of persons required (I used snapper the other night)
Squeeze of lemon juice
1 tin of asparagus spears and liquid (you can use either whole spears or a tin of the asparagus pieces)
1/2 cup white wine (optional) (I have also used sparkling wine)
30g butter
Salt and pepper
1 packet dry mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk (or more if not using wine)
Spring onion, chopped (suit to taste)

Set oven to 180 deg C.

Place fish pieces in shallow dish.

Mix together liquid from asparagus, mushroom soup, lemon juice, milk and wine, and pour over fish.

Season with salt and pepper and dot with butter.

Place in oven for 20 minutes, then add spring onion and asparagus.

Bake another 10 minutes (or more depending on thickness of fish).

Serve over mashed potato.

YUM!


Some other posts you might enjoy:
Oh Baby
10 Things to do in the First Trimester
10 Things to do in the Second Trimester
What products do you really need for your newborn baby?
My top bathtime tips for a new baby

Quick easy snack ideas for kids

Quite a while ago (in 2009 in actual fact) I wrote about Healthy eating for kids & I thought it was about time I continued this theme and jotted down some easy snack ideas that aren't too bad for my kids (or me).  I know life gets so busy and its really easy to grab the processed packets of food for your kids... I'm just as guilty of the next person of doing this and I'm actively working on keeping snacks simple and healthy at the moment.

1. Popcorn.  Cheap, easy to make, kids love watching the popcorn pop, and very healthy if you don't put anything on it.
2. Fruit.  I like to have fruit easily accessible for kids in the fridge - bananas, strawberries, a bowl of grapes snipped into little bunches, apples and pears (if your kids eat whole fruit), blueberries, etc.
3. Crackers and cheese.  Maybe not the healthiest option but always popular with kids and miles better than chips.
4. Try carrots and celery cut into strips with some dip.  I need to do this one more often to get them eating raw vegies!
5. Cup of milk and milo.  This is my fall-back after school when they are starving and need to get something into their tummies quick smart!
6. Eggs.  Boiled and cold are always popular with my boys, and are packed with nutrients which is fantastic.
7. Yogurt.  We love those bulk tubs you get with the fruit sitting on top.  Yum.
8. Hummus and crackers.  This is on my list to try, a friend recommended it and it was something to be honest I hadn't thought of giving my children.
9. Home-made cakes and biscuits.  I know that these aren't healthy as such, but at least they aren't filled with chemicals and (excuse the language) crap like store-bought stuff.
10. Dried fruit.  My kids (even the baby) love dried fruit.  Apricots, apple, peaches, you name it we love it (they are not so fussed on the freeze-dried fruit though).

What snacks do your kids like?  I'd love to hear about them and get some new ideas!

Some other food posts you might be interested in:

Super Easy Creamy Bacon & Broccoli Pasta Mock KFC Twisters Delicious Muesli Slice Recipe  Family Friendly Chilli Con Carne Recipe 

On the subject of Sleep-overs

As a Mum, what is your opinion on how old a child should be before he or she can have sleep-overs at friends houses?  Or would it depend on the child? 

My 2 sons are now in school and of course the subject of sleeping over at friends houses is rearing its (ugly) head.  My boys are 6 and 7 and have been invited a couple of times to sleep-over.  It is something that is really niggling at me because I feel they are still too young, but it seems like maybe I am a bit of an odd duck feeling like this?  Am I (horror) one of those way over protective Mothers?

I'd love to hear some of your thoughts on this topic too!

Some other posts you might enjoy:
Oh Baby
10 Things to do in the First Trimester
10 Things to do in the Second Trimester
What products do you really need for your newborn baby?
My top bathtime tips for a new baby

Things to ask your website and logo designers

When I started Your Cheeky Monkey 5 years ago I really had no idea what I was doing (or what I was getting myself in for!).  As with all new business start-ups, there is always things you wish you had known back then or that you wish someone had told you.

An area where I had no experience at all was with website and logo design and construction.  There are certain things I really wish I had found out at the time, so I thought I would post some of them here for anyone else that may be in the process of having their logo or website designed.

1. Whoever you go with to either buy a pre-made logo or if you are having one designed from scratch, be sure to verify that you OWN your logo.  I think there is nothing worse than graphic designers out there who happily charge you top dollar for your logo, then you find out it is in the small print they still 'own' it.  That is equivalent to me selling a set of Burp Cloths over at Your Cheeky Monkey then saying I still own them!  This point also applies to having a banner or business card etc designed.  As far as I'm concerned, if you pay for it you should own it outright and be able to do what you want with it.
2. Find out the FONTS and colour details of your logo and anything to do with your website.  That way, when you want to design a new banner etc down the track you know exactly what to use.  If it is an unusual font get the whole font and keep it on file.
3. Be sure to get your logo in many forms - high-res, solid black, on a clear background, gif, jpg, etc etc.  You never know what you might need in the future.  For example, I wanted my text logo printed on ribbon, but then I found out the logo I had was too low-res and I had to go back to my designer and pay to have this done.  If you get it all up front you are covered for all bases.
4. Save all of these images in a separate folder on your computer titled "Original Logos" or similar.  Back up this file externally and keep in a safe place.
5. Get your designer to make you some basic banners in common sizes to get you started.  If you like to have a go at things yourself but don't use Photoshop, head over to the Picmonkey website, it is free and you can design some great banners yourself using the collage function.  I also made myself a great facebook timeline image using Picmonkey.

I think they are the main things I wanted to cover here.... what would you add to this list??

Gift ideas for a Girls 1st Birthday

I'm totally shocked to tell you that it is my baby girls 1st birthday soon.  It seems like a few weeks ago I was introducing her to you.

So my mission lately has been to hunt down some first birthday gifts for her.  And can I tell you how much fun I am having doing this after 2 boys?  We do have a bit of a girly and pink overload but I'm sure that's ok!  These are some of the ideas I have been collating for our little darlings first birthday:

1. A doll which is safe for a baby. 
2. A box of Lego Duplo with pink pieces in it.  She already adores playing with the Duplo with her big brothers... but we definitely need some girly touches now.
3. Some groovy shoes and boots for winter.  As she is a girl, I already know shoes will be a big factor in her life, so we might as well start early.
4. A beautiful engraved bracelet.  This is more for sentimental reasons, I still have my baby bracelet and its something I definitely want to continue the tradition with.
5. A trike.  The boys used their one to death so I already know one of these will be a great investment.  But this one will be pink or purple of course.
6. Books.  I really like the box sets you can get that come with a matching soft toy... such good gift ideas.  They are generally good value too.
7. A Sophie the Giraffe House - she already loves her Sophie and this gorgeous toy will be her first 'dolls' house to play with.

I can't wait until next month to celebrate her first birthday... keep an eye out for the post with the pink cupcakes in it ;-)

Review: Kindy Kamper Bedding Sets

I never thought when my two boys were starting kindy that one day I would have a baby girl who would also be getting ready to go to kindy.  But you never know where life leads you, and to my joy, I do indeed have a little girl who I plan to send to kindy later this year.  For some reason I am probably more nervous about this than I was with the boys... is it because she is a girl?  Or because she is my last child who I want to keep close to me for as long as possible?

Anyway, the fact remains, she will indeed start her journey of kindy and then school one day before I know it.  I have truly blinked and she is already 10 months old... on her way to walking and turning into a gorgeous little toddler.

One of the things that you, like me, might have noticed about the beds provided at kindergartens and daycare centres is that they are not very comfy.  Normally you are just asked to provide sheets for them.... but did you know there is an alternative?  A very cute, comfy, easy to use, and easy to wash alternative?  Kindy Kamper is an Australian company that designs beautiful all in one kindy bedding.  And not only are the designs gorgeous, they are great value too at around $60.  These sets will last right through kindy, and can also be used for sleep overs or even naps around your own house if your child prefers to be with you rather than in their own room.

Some of the features that I love about these bedding sets are:

Big sewn on label for you to write your child's name on.

Top blanket is attached by zipper which makes it very easy to remove for washing or if you don't need it on.

Beautiful embroidered detail.

Corner elastic straps for kindy beds with legs.

Velcro strap which makes it so easy to just roll the bedding set up and secure the velcro strap.

Handle for easy carrying (even for a toddler).

Divine designs and beautiful finish.

So if you need a kindy bedding set head on over to Kindy Kamper and have a browse of their lovely and oh-so-practical sets!

Blogging My Box Off for Bambino Box

One of the really cool things about having a baby is all the clothes, toys, and other little goodies you get to have fun buying (and using).  I am also the sort of person that loves those "mystery box" type of things where you don't know what you have got until you open it up, then it is a bit like Christmas when you unpack your box.

So, considering that I have a baby, and that I love mystery boxes, when I heard about a new company called Bambino Box which sends out monthly goodie boxes to their subscribers, you will be able to understand why I jumped right in and subscribed!

The fantastic thing about Bambino Box is that they design each box just for YOU, so if you have a baby girl aged 4 months you won't get products more suited for a boy aged 2 years.  They also have a pregnancy box, which I really wish was around when I was pregnant a year or so ago!!

At the beginning of each month I now get a lovely box delivered to my doorstep of goodies just for me and my baby.

Each month is completely different and in past months has contained clothing, safety products, food, skincare, and so much more.

I highly recommend this fun subscription program to not only have the opportunity to try new products each month, but for the excitement of getting a whole box of new untried things in the mail!

I have written this post to take part in the Bambino Box "Blog Your Box Off" Offer, which gives you an extra month added on to your subscription.... woohoooo!