I Have Made The Move

www.tutusandtrikes.com

That's where all the fun and craziness is at now.  Please head over to my new site, same me just at my own domain now and subscribe to the RSS feed again please.

I really love all your company and comments so please stick with me there is so much more to come and a lot more giveaways too.

I will keep this blogger account open in case anyone forgets, it happens to the best of us, but hopefully you will see this post and remember I have moved.

Nursery Design

We are currently trying for number 3, yep those early stages (I mean early) of baby making.  We don't have a set plan, its just heads down bottom up, well kind of, for the month and see how it goes!  It has worked for us to produce 2 cherubs in just a month of this plan so we will stick to it for the 3rd.  Anyway, getting off that topic, well the nitty gritty side of the topic.  With the trying comes the decorating of a nursery, YAY!  I love this side of it just as much and luckily for me my super supportive husband just lets me go with it.  I am big on white for furniture, I like to splash the colour around once we know what we are having.  Miss P we didn't find out, Master X we did and number 3 we plan to find out too.  So it will be either lots of pinks again or blues.  Below is my design board so far, keeping it neutral.  The big furniture we already have it is just the decor we will be purchasing.  I am sure I will add to this along the way.  The cot is currently in there now as our kidlets stay in our room for at least a year so the cot is really just a feature!

I have actually already thought of more things to add to the design board so stay tuned for an update soon as I shop around for more items.

Where to find items on design board:

1. Boori Change Table- David Jones, Pram Warehouse

2. Wall Decal- My Munchkin Home www.mymunchkinhome.com.au

3. Merino Kids 'Dragonfly' Cot Sheets- Merino Kids www.merinokids.com.au

4. Bunting- Bel Bambino Kids www.belbambinokids.com.au

5 & 6. Ikeas Malm Dresser & Ikea Wall Shelf- Ikea

7. Rug- The Little Kidz Closet www.thelittlekidzcloset.com.au

8. Ikea Hensvik Cabinet- Ikea

9. Gro Time Bassinet Cot- Pram Warehouse

Wordless Wednesday

Places we have been and things we have done.

~ Disney Cinderella ~

“A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes”    

I am so glad they are bringing back the classic movies, movies kids can watch and just enjoy, dream and see the magic of disney movies.  When I heard they were releasing Cinderella I jumped at the chance to review it.  I knew Miss P would love it, she is such a girly girly it was right up here alley.

The Cinderella: Diamond edition sparkles like never before; with dazzling bonus features, never-before-seen deleted songs and scenes,family friendly interactive activities, games and more.  This edition of Cinderella is definitely one for a collector.

Cinderella- Diamond Edition

You forget, well I did, what a lovely, classic tale Cinderella is.  With the shows on TV these days it was refreshing to watch a little girl loose herself in such a beautiful film.  It is more vibrant and more captivating than before.  It made us both laugh, me have a little tear (sad I know) and walk away with that happy feeling you get when you watch a classic fairytale like Cinderella.  The bonus features are amazing, Miss P was dancing to the songs and singing along.  It was great to have all the bonus features because Miss P was very disappointed when the movie itself ended.  Cinderella kept Miss P interested and involved the entire time, which only a few movies to date have done.  DVD and Blu-Ray available now- Diamond Edition Value Pack, Blu-­‐ray + DVD $49.95, Diamond Edition DVD $39.95.
 

Would your little one (or yourself) just love a copy of Cinderella- Diamond Edition?  It's your lucky day then, I have 2 copies to give away.  Follow the rafflecopter instructions below and the winner will be announced on the blog on Thursday 1st November.  Entries to this giveaway close on Thursday at 10am QLD time.

*I was not paid for this post, I received a copy of Cinderella to review.  My reviews are my honest opinion of the product.

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Scoot Toot Review

Do you take your kids to the park? Do you cart all of their scooters too? Scoot Toot have just solved your problem!

Sydney based mum and brainchild behind ScootToot comments “ScootToot lets even the most independent of children scoot safely and gives you greater freedom to take two young children out together, without breaking your back. We’re all about making mums life easier” 

It has always been a main reason why I leave scooters at home!  With two small children they never want to be on their scooters all day long so I am normally having to carry or somehow juggle the scooter plus thousands of bags!  Plus Miss P has the habit of saying 'my legs are tired' after 10 minutes! Well, didn't she get a shock when I said we could take her scooter to the park the other day!  'Really mum, but what if my legs get tired?' Scoot Toot packed and problem solved.

These pictures were all taken at home before leaving as I wanted to try it out myself plus Miss P wasn't convinced I had a plan for her tired legs.  She loved it.  I will admit, at first when I saw it I thought 'how is this going to pull the scooter without it tipping' but it does and it is really easy!  We often visit places where the kids would have so much fun on their scooters and now we can take them along.  Master X is getting a scooter for his birthday so we will definitely be getting one to attach to his scooter.  It is so so simple to use: you attach it to the scooter t-bar and then your wrist and off you go.  It is also handy to carry the scooter too.  It's always a bit tricky to carry a scooter without knocking your heels or tripping.  With the Scoot Toot you attach one end to the handle bars then the other part around the base of the scooter then carry it like a bag!  Simple, quick and so much of a help!

Thanks to Scoot Toot I have one Scoot Toot to giveaway to a lucky reader.  Follow the entry requirements on the Rafflecopter below and your park days may just become so much more fun!  Scoot Toot can be purchased online from their website www.ScootToot.com.au and for only $12.99 which includes shipping Australia wide it is a small price to pay for such convenience!

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Almost Loving My Body

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The above verse means so much to me, I luckily escaped with no stretch marks but I am left with a tummy that looks and feels like jelly but it has held and nurtured two of the most precious things in my life and hopefully one more, so I do love my body for doing that.

This year I am joining in with I Heart My Body over at We Heart Life. As is the case with most women, I was much thinner before kids.  After Miss P I walked daily and kept a lot of weight off and was almost back to my pre child size and then I fell pregnant again- YAY!  But second time around I didn't get into the exercise as much, actually at all.  The morning teas out and the afternoon snacks caught upon me.  I put a stop to all of this not long ago and decided to take back control of my body.  My husband is no help as he thinks I look HOT all the time (thanks hun but I need the honest truth sometimes- thanks mum).

This picture taken just a few weeks ago is the first picture I have seen of myself in a bikini in a long time.  At first I was repulsed, but then I had a longer look at it and thought 'you know what, after 2 kids and a crapload of garbage, I don't look that bad.'  I am learning to love my body, I am still working on it to get it healthy again but I am actually liking it know.  I have always liked my body, as a teenager I was fortunate enough to have a good body plus I was very sporty so that helped.  I was never one for the scales and I still don't really 'do' scales.  I also don't like to go off my clothes fitting because every brand has a different size.  My drawers consist of sizes 8-12 and I am very happy with that.  If I feel right in my clothes then I am happy. I probably weigh more now than before kids and I am definitely not as toned but my body is my life story, it has changed along with my life.

From looking at this picture I can tell you 3 things I love about my body right now:

1. My legs- I am happy with how they look and have stayed quite toned, chasing after 2 kids I guess they should be right?
2. My Stomach- weird right as it doesn't look and feel like it used to, but it has carried two beautiful babies in it so I love it.
3. My Feet- is that weird to like your feet?  They never seem to gain weight or wrinkles or anything!

So I am in the process of loving my body, I am also working to keep it healthy.  I want my kids to see their mum as fit and healthy.

Do you love your body? What do you love most about it?

Be True To Yourself

I like myself, I like the person I am and the way I look but I don't have an ego.  I am just happy with Kate.  But lately I have begun doubting myself, listening to others and their negative thoughts.  I haven't let it show on the outside but I feel it inside, the constant battle with myself to believe what I do, say and feel is ok. It has stopped me speaking up for what I believe in and for. So in this post you will read my beliefs, thoughts, feelings and more.  They are mine and anyone who disagrees may do so but in no way am I going to be held down by this anymore.  I judge no one on their choices, their life or their beliefs yet i have let so many judge me, until today when I make a stand for myself to be myself.  If I feel like making these feelings or opinions known I will without feeling guilty and i will take other opinions but I won't let them affect mine.  I am different in many ways to a lot of females I know, I found myself copping mountains of criticism for this yet never dishing any out myself even though I don't agree with a lot thats said.  Dishing it out isn't my thing but nor is copping so much judgement.  

I have breastfed both of my kids- Miss P to 16 months and Master X to 19 months and I am damn proud of it.  I don't write it in the sky, I didn't do it because someone told me to I did it because I enjoyed the bond, my kids loved it and its good for them.  Whats wrong with that you say?  Nothing to me but wow have I heard it all- you're weird, that's gross, you will be feeding them at 7, they will never be independent, etc, etc!  Really, I do something that is healthy for my child and I cop this! For the record we are planning baby #3 and that baby will hopefully be breastfed just as long, actually considering this may be our last I hope to breastfeed longer as the only reason I have stopped both times is to fall pregnant!  Go ahead judge but my ears are closed.  On the topic of breastfeeding I will also mention the judgement i have had on the co sleeping matters, it is much to the same extent as the breastfeeding, oh except the good one 'where do you have sex?'  My answer is there is more to sex than a bed!  In this household we all look after each other, if every single person in this house is getting sleep then we are all happy.  My husband and I know that our children will sleep through the night in their own beds (actually Miss P already is) so we will once again be back in the same bed!  Again so much judgement and nasty criticism for being there and comforting our children???  It really stumps me which is why I think it makes me so angry.  When I start neglecting my children then everyone can start judging, so looks like there should never be any judgement then because I will never neglect my children.

I don't leave my kids unless its to duck out briefly during the day i.e. school appointment or acupuncture so its a max of about an hour.  This seems to annoy people???  I get people asking me when is my time out from the kids?  I have my time at night when they are asleep and it suits me fine.  I couldn't imagine spending a night away from them (Miss P has sleepovers at Grandmas but we are at home and she asks for them) and nor do I want to go out at night only own.  I really wish people would stop telling me I am weird or 'its good for you' no sorry but doing something that makes you upset is not good for you!  My husband and I will go out once in a blue moon together but we have date nights at home and this we like as we know the kids are safe and happy plus we get to spend time together.  Again I don't judge women who go out once a week, spend weekends away from their kids or go on holidays alone yet I cop it for wanting to be around my children all the time????  Another thing I seem to get judged on is the fact that I do all the housework, the cooking and looking after the kids. My husband is the best guy ever, he appreciates every single little thing I do for him.  There is not a day goes by after 7 years that he doesn't say 'thank you for dinner hun' or can i help you or why don't you sit down and I will do that.  He works very hard in a physical outdoor job so for me to do these small things for him is the least I can do.  He is a great dad, my two cannot contain themselves when he gets home.  It may look like he has it easy but he has to go out daily and do a job to make sure we have enough money to live, thats a huge responsibility!

I guess its been a bit of a rant this post and I do apologise for that but I needed to clear my head and take back my life, my opinions and my feelings!  I am sick of hiding away my opinions or feelings because someone else doesn't agree with it or feels guilty in their life.  I will never say I am right you are wrong (unless you are my husband, he hears it a lot) but I will voice my opinion and allow others to have theirs but not allow it to affect mine.  Stand up for what you believe in and stay true to yourself.  My time of being judged is over, if you judge me from now on you will receive a response,you may not like it but you shouldn't have judged me!  I have never followed the crowd and I am not about to start. I am passionate abut my parenting, my family and my life so just try and judge me now, I dare you.  

Budget Friendly Family Meal

As I am the one who does the cooking in our household (I am extremely fussy so there is no way anyone else is cooking) I try to make meals we will all like and are budget friendly.  I tend to cook the same meals over a fortnight and I thought I would share with you a favourite budget recipe.  This meal is budget but doesn't compromise on taste it is delicious and full of veggies!!!

Before topped with cheeses.

Sausage Pasta Bake
6 beef sausages
375g penne or spiral pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium brown onion chopped coarsely
1 small red capsicum chopped coarsely
1 small yellow capsicum chopped coarsely
1 large zucchini sliced thinly
200g mushrooms quartered
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil
Bottle of pasta sauce
1 cup cheese tasty or mozzarella
1/2 cup parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees
2. Cook sausages and once cooked cut into 1cm slices and put in bowl to side
3. Cook pasta according to the packet or your taste
4. Heat oil in frypan; cook onion, capsicums and zucchini until they are tender.  Add mushrooms, basil and pasta sauce; bring to boil.  Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered for 5 minutes.
5. Combine pasta and sliced sausages in a large bowl, add vegetable mixture and half of the cheese (Mozzarella or tasty).
6. Place in a baking dish; sprinkle with remaining cheeses.  Bake uncovered in the oven for about 25 mins or until lightly browned.

*You can add whatever vegetables you like, we don't eat capsicum so we just have zucchini, carrot, onion and mushrooms.  Feel free to add or remove whatever vegetables you feel.

It is such a quick dish to prepare, I normally make it mid morning and then cover it up and put in the fridge, then at dinner time do step 6 and pop it in the oven.  This meal is great for the kids too!  It makes a lot of leftovers so make sure you freeze it.  We normally get 2 nights meals from it and it is just as good second time around.

Hope you love it and I will post more budget friendly family meal recipes son.

Party To The Finish Line

To say we have had the best day is by far an understatement!!!  The Armor All Gold Coast 600 is amazing- the people, the cars, the smell (sorry I love the smell of the V8’s) and the sun!  Today we walked the entire track, trying to find the best vantage point, we found many.  The beauty of the Gold Coast 600 is you are so close, you can see inside the cockpit and it is really an amazing feeling!

Ticket to a fantastic 3 days

So close

Not only is there the cars but there is so much on track entertainment especially for the kids.  They have really gone out of their way to make this event family friendly and indeed child friendly!  We had a pram today and didn’t find it once an inconvienece nor did we seem to annoy too many people! The staff around the track were amazing and offered to help carry pram over bridge.  Plenty of food and drink stalls so we never had to venture far.  There was so much action going on everywhere there was never a dull moment.  Sunday was the day I was worried about as i knew it would be the biggest day, but it was very pleasant.  They really catered for the kids too, so many free activities for them which is always a bonus.  The kids area was well laid out too and not congested like most venues!

Off track entertainment

 The Disney-Pixar Cars area is WOW!  As soon as the kids saw it they were off and then didn’t know where to go first!  They had their picture taken with lightening McQueen and his mechanic, they each got their drivers license which was very cute (cute now while its not real ask me again when they’re 17 if its cute), they stood on the podium in front of Mac and got lots of colouring in pictures to do! Both Miss P and Master X drove around the really cute track- Miss P had some help from the lovely guys that worked there and I pushed Master X around in a small CARS buggy.  The lines weren't huge and moved very quickly.  The CARS jumping castle was a hit and both the kids enjoyed it, they did come out absolutely dripping in sweat as it was very hot on the Saturday!  The MAC truck is unbelievable, inside they had little CARS couches set up and Playstation, my two aren't at the Playstation age yet so we just admired from a distance.  It was very well set up and just amazing the kids were thrilled to see it and couldn't stop talking about it.  We went back to it again on Sunday for another play.

Cute drivers license and colouring sheets from Disney-Pixar Cars

The kids saw this banner a mile away

Photo with the star Lightening McQueen and his mechanic

Proud to get her licence

Of course she had to stand on the 1st place

Such a cool track

Amazing

An event that can keep the kids entertained and have them happily walking for over 3 hours is a GREAT event! Well done LifeLike Touring for bringing CARS on tour!  We had so much fun, it was a glorious weekend and this made our Armor All Gold Coast 600 even better.  We have booked accommodation already for next year right on the track and we cannot wait.  The 2013 calendar is up on the V8 Super car website so check it out, no matter where you are you need to get to an event, amazing!  If you do one thing next year make it buying tickets to the Armor All Gold Coast 600!!! 

Protecting Little Ones Ears

In the lead up to the Armor All Gold Coast 600 I started the usual lists, things to pack for the kids and the other necessities we needed for an event of this type.  One thing I didn’t have was ear protection for the kids, I knew both my kids would find the noise of the cars too loud and plus it probably wasn’t the best for their ears.  That’s when I found Em’s 4 Kids ear muffs! 

Still not sure about those V8's zooming past

Pram will do me for the day

Loving her pink earmuffs

These are so great!  Yeah you can get adult earmuffs from the hardware store but I guarantee the kids will be sick of them after 15mins!  My two had these on all day and Master X fell asleep in them, if he can fall asleep and stay asleep for almost an hour wearing them then it has to say something about their comfort.  They look great- Miss P has a pink pair of course and Master X has a silver pair and they come in other colors too.  These earmuffs only weigh 190 grams so they don’t weigh down a child’s head like adult size ones do. Another huge plus is they fold up which is great for storage- trust me with a small stroller, food to feed an army the last thing I needed was bulky items so these being able to fold up made it so much easier.  Visit their website here and find out more about these great ear muffs and also the detailed specifications.

Fast asleep!

Had issues with hat flying off, problem solved

 Em’s 4 Kids also make baby ear muffs which we will be purchasing. They only weigh 100 grams and come with super soft headband so they don’t get annoyed and can still sleep and feed comfortably without being jabbed by bulky straps.  The headband comes in loads of really cool designs and they are so cute!  We have avoided such events like the V8’s due to the noise but my experience with Em’s 4 Kids earmuffs has changed my whole perspective on these events and we will now be attending lots more!  You can buy these all from their website.

*This is not a sponsored post and I was not paid for this post.  I did receive 2 sets of Em’s 4 Kids earmuffs but this review is my honest thoughts on the products we received..

A Lesson A Day

The old saying 'you learn something new everyday' it's quite true!  Well at least in my neck of the woods it is and sometimes it can be more than one thing.  I think this is even more true since having kids!  When it comes to kids and today's online world there is a lot we learn daily and a lot we need to teach our kids.  One statement that sticks in my head and I will be passing it onto my kids comes from good old Dr Phil, he said this about teaching his kids about the online world, 'before you type an email or send a photo think about whether you would be happy to see your words or picture on the front page of the New York Times?  Because that is exactly what its like, you can never get them back.'

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After seeing events evolve in the blogosphere recently, its clear that we all need to remember that what we write and say never goes away once entered online.  We will be teaching our kids everything we know and learn about the online world, I am forever researching and learning new tips so I can pass these onto my children.  Some might say I am protecting my kids from reality or I am sheltering them and I say, YES I AM!  Indeed I am protecting them from certain parts of reality, yes I am sheltering them from things they don't need to see or hear and yes I will continue to do so for as long as I can.  It doesn't mean my children will live under a rock, gosh just by watching the news they see it all!  But they will be educated by us in the harsh reality of the online world today.  We will try to equip them with knowledge of consequences for their actions and how it may affect them later in life.  Obviously we do this at age appropriate stages but I believe it is up to us parents to take responsibility of our own children, society has just lost it's right to help raise my kids!  Children at 10 years old in shopping centres late at night, where on earth are the parents!  They hold no responsibility saying 'oh we just can't handle them' so what its up to society to deal with them? No we need to make a change in this society before it self destructs, parents need to own their kids actions (as well as the child owning it) they need to show some responsibility and actually help solve the problem not just throw their hands up and walk away!  Parenting is hard work and its not a sprint, these parents run half the race then quit.  We as a society then pay for it.  I am pleased to inform society that we will be taking full responsibility of our children and their actions,allowing society to hopefully mend its current messy state.

Driveway Safety- Making a safer world for kids

I regularly sit at our dining room table to work on my laptop, from here I can see my kids playing outside and they like to know I am close by.  I can also see the road and a few houses in the neighbourhood from my table.  Whilst staring out into dream land the other afternoon, I was shocked at what I witnessed.  A 4wd in the driveway, a small child (no older than 2) in the driveway and no other adult present.  Smiled at the little girl dancing and prancing about, reminding me of my 4 year old.  Then I heard the 4wd start and then the reverse lights came on!  Surely the other parent would come out, surely the driver just started the car.  Nope, it began to reverse, meanwhile the dancing toddler was directly behind and as the driveway went downhill I new the driver would never see the child!  I am not sure where my heart went or how long my whole world stood still, I jumped from my chair and proceeded toward sthe back gate!  Just as I got to the gate I heard a mother yelling "STOP STOP! Oh my god stop she's behind you" and waving her hands frantically!  Luckily the driver saw her and stopped.  By this stage the dancing toddler had stopped and ran to the mother wondering what the fuss was about!  I was still in shock that night and retelling the incident to my husband made us bother shiver!

This is how quickly a child can be run over in their own driveway!  According to the Kidsafe website 'in 85% of cases, the driver does not know that a child is close to the vehicle; they think they are being looked after elsewhere.'  Driveway accidents have always scared me, we haven't had any close calls but it has always been my fear!  Our rule with our kids is this: before starting any car the driver makes sure they can see both our children and not only see them but see them being held/restrained/contained by an adult then making sure the kids and this adult are not standing behind the vehicle, this way the driver can maintain contact the whole time.  I would rather take out the fence or letterbox than our child.  This may seem simple but many times I see it where people 'think' the child is with the other person yet they aren't. It is also important to tell other people about driveway safety, for example grandparents and other family/friends.  This way if you are not present, your child is still safe knowing everyone is following the safe guidelines you put into practice.  For more tips on keeping the driveway safe here is the KidSafe fact sheet on driveway safety, some very alarming statistics and also some great tips to keep in mind!

Here are some things to always remember when in a driveway to help prevent accidents taken from the KidSafe QLD fact sheet which can be found here:

• Supervise: When moving vehicles. know where your kids are at all times. Physically hold them close to you or put them in the car with you. Teach kids to wave bye-bye from  a safe place – never the driveway. Never leave children unattended in cars. 
• Separate: Use fences and self-closing gates to keep garages and driveways separate from play areas. Always keep car doors locked. Prevent toddlers gaining access to garages by Installing doors that open inward to the house, self-close and have highset handles. Treat the diveway like  a road – never a play area.
• See: Walk around your car and keep children in mind when using your reversing mirrors, sensors or cameras. Cameras are designed to prevent damage to cars not children – and sometimes a child may not be visible until it’s too late. Understand how little you can see behind your car – vehicle size is not always a good indicator. Some  family sedans have a blind spot of more than 15 metres, and it is possible to fit more than 60 pre-schoolers behind a vehicle and not see them from the driver’s seat.

Please treat the driveway the same way you do the road, in most cases it can be more dangerous than the road!  It is better to be over cautious and demand people know your rules about driveways than having to deal with injuries or death of your child from a driveway accident.

'I am participating in the National Kidsafe Day Bloggers Competition to support and promote child safety, along with the added bonus of chances to win prizes. All opinions are my own and not those of Kidsafe. To find out more or to enter the competition, please visit www.kidsafeday.com.au'

Armor All Gold Coast 600 Giveaway

The Armor All Gold Coast 600 is here again and this year it includes the Disney-Pixar CARS Truck Tour.  See Mac the Transporter Truck and Lightning McQueen up close and enjoy all the CARS activities. The Gold Coast 600 is a great family event. Running over 3 days, 19th-21st Oct it is sure to please everyone with the V8's, CARS appearance, live bands and much more!

The Armor All Gold Coast 600 starts this Friday 19th Oct and continues until Sunday 21st Oct and the Disney-Pixar CARS is open 10am-4pm daily.  Kids 12 and under are free with a paying adult.  Get your tickets to this great event from Ticketek

For more information on events on each day and bands that will be playing head over to the V8 Supercars page and check it all out. 

Now to the exciting part, thanks to LifeLike Touring and V8 Supercars,  I have one family pass to giveaway, thats 4 adults and potentially 4 children (under 12) for each of the days!  Follow the Rafflecopter instructions below to enter.  As it is this weekend this giveaway will be drawn Wednesday at 10am (QLD time).  

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