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Archives for January 2014

Back to School with Smiggle

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With only a week of school holidays remaining we are now in preparation mode for the boys to return to school. These school holidays have absolutely wizzed by! This year we have both boys at school full time which is very exciting for the kids and of course my husband and I. They are very excited about choosing there new school items like backpacks, lunch boxes, shoes, pencil cases, etc. and as usual our school stock pile looks like we own shares in Smiggle. I completely understand their love for the brand though because I have a ‘slight’ Smiggle addiction myself.

Smiggle has almost everything you need for ‘Back to School’ and the range of options doesn’t disappoint. It is often hard to find backpacks that are made with quality and that won’t break within a few months of being use; the Smiggle school bags have a thick base, padded straps, divider inside, 3 external pockets in varying sizes and 2 drink bottle holders on the side. There is also matching water bottles, diaries, lunch boxes and the list goes on which gets the boys very excited when selecting their school products. Thanks to Smiggle being so bright and fun we got a huge chuck of our Back to School goodies organised without any drama or fuss and at affordable prices.

Are you ready for school to return? Where do you get your school products from? 

Affordable Runway Style for Women + GIVEAWAY

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When I am on the hunt for a new accessory I cannot go past Runway Style. There is always something there to suit the occasion, the mood and most importantly it’s always gorgeous. Showcasing glamorous and original accessories for women from Australian labels Journie, Anna Nova and Ella Grace makes this website engaging and unique. You may remember me sharing my love for Journie last year on the blog and that admiration has only grown stronger with the debut of Ella Grace. Runway Style is a force to be reckoned with because they are recognised for not only their design abilities but also their quality, integrity and originality.

Journie Ascot Scarlet Clutch. RRP $99

Priding themselves on customer satisfaction and appearance you will find elegance, beauty and glamour in the form of timeless boutique jewellery at Ella Grace and handbags, clutches and wallets that share their own stories through delightful textures at Journie. They ensure consumers are kept up to date by supplying customers an A4 glossed look book every season which I think puts their customer service miles in front of their competitors. I love that I can always find something beautiful that suits my personal style and that their prices are affordable making it achievable for women, mums and daughters to look great, feel great and not bust the budget in the process.

Anna Nova Paradise Red Beaded Earrings. RRP $22

With the release of the new season I am loving the new Journie Ascot Scarlet Clutch and perfectly matching earrings from Anna Nova. The clutch is made with stunning textures and consists of two internal zipper pockets as well as a mobile pocket and extra pocket, the Paradise Red Beaded Earrings look absolutely gorgeous on and add that splash of colour to every outfit without over doing it. The Ascot Clutch retails for $99 and the Paradise Red Beaded earrings a mere $22 which just proves that quality and fashion don’t have to cost a small fortune.

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 Ladies today is your lucky day because Runway Style have generously given me 1x Journie Ascot Scarlet Clutch and 1x pair of Anna Nova Paradise Red Beaded Earrings (total value $121.00) to giveaway to a deserving Mad Mummas reader.

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To enter all you have to do is follow the instructions on the rafflecopter below.

1.Winner is decided based on skill and chance plays no part.

2.Australian residents only! Sorry everyone else.

3.The mandatory instructions MUST be completed or your entry will be void!

**As the winners are chosen based on skill and not chance; you will be sharing for 0 extra entries. It’s good karma though and I’d love you to share the giveaway with friends and family**

a Rafflecopter giveaway

GOOD LUCK!

Learning with LeapFrog + GIVEAWAY

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Parents often ask themselves how can we prepare our children for school because I don’t want them to behind or struggle. How do we educate them to differentiate letters, how do we teach them the basics for reading, how do you make them want to learn? In all honesty some kids are just plain not interested and need to be encouraged. Kids want (and often need) to know that learning can be fun and thankfully many of the new tools available to parents today do exactly that.

My 4 year has been ‘playing’ with the new LeapReader for the past month and I say playing because that’s exactly what he thinks he is doing. He doesn’t realise that he is learning to take his time and listen to instructions before racing into the activity. Kye is also being more assertive with letters and is now excited to read and write. The LeapReader is designed to assist children in becoming confident, independent readers and writers. It does this by building their knowledge of reading fundamentals, sounding out letters and words, trace letters and eventually read sentences.

 I love that it takes an approach in education that is suitable for all ages and all levels of learning. With over 40 different books available for the LeapReader (and a wonderful selection at that) there is definitely something to suit every childs interests. We have been using the Learn to Write with Mr Pencil the most because it teaches children to write upper and lower case letters, shapes, direction, helps to understand letter sounds, correct stroke order and pencil control. Most importantly though – It is fun! The LeapReader is available from all major department stores and independent toy retailers for $99.99. For more information click over to the LeapFrog website.

 

As the title suggests I have a giveaway for Mad Mummas readers! I have 1x LeapReader with sampler book (RRP $99.99) that LeapFrog has generously given me to giveaway.

  To enter all you have to do is follow the instructions on the rafflecopter below.

Winner is decided based on skill and chance plays no part. Australian residents only! Sorry everyone else. **The mandatory instructions MUST be completed or your entry will be void!**As the winners are chosen based on skill and not chance; you will be sharing for 0 extra entries. It’s good karma though and I’d love you to share the giveaway with friends and family.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

GOOD LUCK!

Living LiFE! this Summer

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I love Summer! Always have. The warmth on my face as I step outside and get that much craved for vitamin D instantly makes me brighter and the day seem better. Unfortunately as the years have gone on my love of the beach has somewhat wavered and now I will often do almost anything to avoid going however with saying that when I  received a recliner seat from LiFE! I had to take it for a spin. We packed up and headed for the beach that was pleasantly not overcrowded and as I reclined in my new seat Mad Dad and the kids enjoyed the water. I was able to adjust the seat recline to suit my personal preference and just relax (and read get a few pages of reading done) while enjoying a few minutes of quiet time before watching my beautiful family embrace the outdoors and listen to their laughter. The seat is available in 3 colours, has 4 recline positions, folds flat when not in use and is made from water resistant fabric making it the perfect beach seat.

Recliner Seat in Scuba from LiFE!

I have also been taking the latest iCrib for a test run and it is no surprise that I love it. I have 2 of these already (which my husband has called dibs on) but I am absolutely loving the new Fiesta iCrib. It may be because it is all mine or because it is soft to touch but it gets used almost daily for my Samsung Galaxy note. I love that I can sit it on the iCrib and it stay on the right angle, I have my hands free and I can take it just about anywhere. The kids often use it as a pillow if they are watching a movie in the lounge room as well so I think it would be fair to say it is a versatile product that has more than one use. You can find these great products and many more over at LiFE! Live it up.

Feista iCrib from LiFE!

Disclosure: I received a recliner seat and fiesta iCrib for the purpose of this review. As always my opinions are my own.

5 Fun Pool Games for Kids

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Put children in a swimming pool and you can be assured that they will have the greatest time and will create their own fun! Always make sure they are properly attired with swim shirts, sun hats, sunscreen and swim goggles. The same goes for any adults who are swimming in the pool; they should set a good example.

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Pool Noodles

How cheap are pool noodles? You will certainly get your money’s worth with this purchase! Besides using them to hang onto or sit on, six pool noodles can be tied together to make a raft. Let the kids use their imagination to create other pool noodle creations and see how much fun they have.

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Beach balls or rubber duckies

Start at one end of the pool. All players are given a beach ball or rubber duckie that they must push to the other end of the pool. However, no hands, feet or mouth can be used. The winner is the player who gets to the other end first, without cheating!

Marco Polo

No pool fun would be complete without the old favourite Marco Polo, which has been around for generations. One person is ‘it’. With their eyes closed, they must try to tag any of the other swimmers in the pool. If tagged, that person becomes ‘it’. Players must keep quiet so the ‘it’ person does not know where they are. However, the ‘it’ person can call out ‘Marco’ to which all players must respond with ‘Polo’. This gives the ‘it’ player a hint as to the others whereabouts. This game will have players shrieking with delight!

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Pool volleyball or basketball
These games will keep the older kids entertained. You can purchase pool specific volleyball or basketball games or let the kids create their own with a ball, large bucket placed at the end of the pool or a line rigged up across the pool. The water makes the body lightweight, so these games are ideal for extra ball leverage.

What’s the time Mr Shark/Mr Crocodile?

The same concept as What’s the time Mr Wolf. Children group at one end of the pool, with the exception of Mr Shark, who has his/her back to the group. The group repeatedly asks “What’s the time Mr Shark?”. Mr Shark will say random times, until he pounces around with “Dinner Time!” Whoever he catches for dinner is out. The game then carries on until all players are eaten for dinner.

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Pool games are a great source of fun for children of all ages. The only problem you may have is getting them out of the pool! Entice them with some refreshments to allow them to have a little time to rest and recharge. For health and safety reasons, always make sure your swimming pool is kept in optimum condition. Alliance Pool Stores can take care of all your pool needs. Throw in some pool toys like inflatable rings or sea creatures to give the kids a chance to just have some fun without any organised games. Pool games are also a great way for young ones to improve their water skills and confidence.

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