May 18, 2012

Shashen Jewels – Motherlove Collection {A Giveaway}

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You can never have too much jewellery. EVER. My husband complains that he buys jewellery that I don’t wear. I say that’s hardly relevant. I have little people pulling at things all day, but I still know it’s there. And once the baby has moved beyond her grabby-mcgrabby stage I’ll start wearing it again.

Shashen Jewels have released their Motherlove collection containing a pendant with one large and one small birthstone.

These pendants are elegant and simple. And the gemstones are hand cut and handset in sterling silver.


The Motherlove collection is designed for mothers to wear a pendant containing two birthstones. The small stone (8mm) represents the child while the large stone (12mm) represents the mother. With the idea that you could then pass it on to your kidlet when they get older.

Now I know many of you have more than one child, and aren’t as *cough* lucky to have two born in the same month with the same birthstone. You do have the option of adding more stones to it if you’d like. Alternatively, you could just choose your own configuration

. 

Hint: If you don’t like your birthstone, just pick someone else’s. No one will know!

January – garnet

February – amethyst

March – aquamarine

April – clear topaz

May – emerald

June – pearl

July – ruby

August – peridot

September – sapphire

October – opal/pink tourmaline

November – citrine

December – blue topaz

 

The pendants come with an 18″ silver chain but you can also wear them on a bracelet.

And now for the fun part! I have one pendant to give away (with one large stone and one small stone) valued at $180.

To enter:

1. Like Shashen Jewels on Facebook

2. Like Good Googs on Facebook

3. Leave me a comment below answering the question: What is your most treasured moment as a mother? Or if you are not a mother, most treasured moment with your own mother?

4. Entries close 11.59pm on the 3rd June 2012.

5. Winning entry will be chosen based on the most original or creative answer.

6. Note: you must be an Australian resident.

 

Good luck!

 

Filed Under: Jewellery · Tagged: , ,
Apr 25, 2012

Nana Huchy {A Giveaway}

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Nana Huchy is an amazing shop that does classic, vintage-inspired pieces. They create dolls, toys, bags and pillows for children and have collections for women and for the home. I’m lusting after an apron right now. I know, it’s sad really that I would lust after an apron, but I think the first step is admitting it, right?! And although I don’t have another kids party to plan for 12 months, if you do they have fantastic gift cards and gift bags as well.

They have graciously offered to put together a prize pack for me valued at over $140 which includes:

Rosie Rag Doll

Ruby Rag Doll

Princess Pillow

Pink Hair Bits Bag

Princess Fairy Bib

How to Enter

1.You have to be an Australian resident

2.Make sure you like Nana Huchy and Good Googs on Facebook.

3. Leave a comment below letting me know what was your favourite childhood toy and why.

4. Entries close at 11:59pm on 8th May 2012. The most original and creative answer will be chosen as the winner.

Good luck!

Filed Under: Kid Stuff · Tagged: , ,
Apr 22, 2012

Have a Conversation {A Norton One Giveaway}

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Isn’t this a cool glowy jar? It’s solar powered and it was a gift when I went to a lunch to talk about Norton One thanks to The Mother Media. Admittedly my only knowledge of Norton was from over 10 years ago when it would render my computer near lifeless and would actually stop my internet connection from working at all. Thankfully, that was a long time ago. And now Norton runs without you even noticing and you don’t have to sacrifice any performance.

I worry more about what I will need to do as my kids get older than internet viruses. How do I protect their digital footprint when they don’t necessarily understand the long-term implications of social media and facebook? How do I keep up with new developments and technology so I have a hope of protecting them as they get older?

Which is why I appreciated that Norton One is about having a conversation with your kids. It’s a tool that you can use, but the conversation is paramount. That’s definitely something I can respect. Because rather than teaching my children what they need to do, I need to teach them how to think about things like security and personal information and social media and their digital footprint so that even when they are doing things that I am not necessarily up to speed on they are able to use that knowledge to make the right decision.

In our house I have one desktop, one laptop, two ipads, three iphones and an ipod touch. All of which you can access the internet through. Which is one of the cool things about Norton One is that it is designed not just for your computers but for your mobile devices as well. And while the price of $199 for 5 devices isn’t going to cover my computer breeding program I’ve got going on, it will cover most people.

And today the fact that I don’t own a PC is going to benefit any PC owners out there. I have one copy of Norton 360 v6 to give away. It gives you 1 years protection for up to 3 PCs.

To enter:

1) You must be an Australian resident

2) You must like the Norton Facebook page and the Good Googs Facebook page

3) Leave me a comment letting me know you closest scrape with internet security disaster. Mine involved a toddler, a smurf village on the ipad and a finger hovering over the buy $200 worth of smurf berries button.

4) The most creative answer will win and the entries will close at 11:59pm on 6th May 2012.

 

 

Filed Under: Computer Software · Tagged: , ,
Mar 25, 2012

I Think I Need Some Paw Paw {A Brauer Natural Medicine Giveaway}

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Riley hurts herself all the time. Sometimes it’s serious, sometimes it’s not. Of course she usually seems far more upset when she’s not seriously hurt. I’ve seen her scream blue murder for tripping over and yet barely bat an eyelid when she bit through her own tongue.

She’s big on measures being taken to make her feel better. Kisses are great. Dora bandaids are better, but on top of the pile is putting Paw Paw ointment on it.

Brauer told me that paw paw is great for dry or cracked skin but I grew up with it and we have used it for everything from rashes to burns to cuts to grazes to sunburn. And probably because it is so moisturising it soothe everything. But it was only recently that I found out the brand we were using contained petrochemicals. So I was excited to try the Brauer Paw Paw ointment which contains double the amount of paw paw and instead of petrochemicals it has shea butter, honey, vitamin e and grape seed oil. I love the fresh smell and it’s rich without being overly sticky.

Since it’s come into our house, Riley has been on Paw Paw ointment rations, otherwise she’d be liable to just sit there on the couch lathering herself in the stuff. Who can blame her really?

You too can sit on your couch and lather yourself in it because I have a hamper to give away!

The hamper includes:

Brauer Paw Paw tub
Brauer Paw Paw tin
Brauer Paw Paw tube
Brauer 10 day Detox
Brauer Arnica Cream
Brauer Children’s Teething Relief

How to Enter:

1) Like the Brauer Facebook Page

2) If you don’t already like me on Facebook

3) Leave a comment answering the question:

What do you use to soothe your children’s hurts, especially the imaginary ones?

The best answer wins.

Conditions: 

1) You must be an Australian resident

2) One entry per person and entries close 8th April, 2012 at midnight.

 

 

 

Filed Under: Health · Tagged: ,
Feb 3, 2012

Vlog: Nature’s Own Omega Delight

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I was invited by The Mother Media to hear all about Nature’s Own new product – Omega Delight.

I must say that as a vegetarian cooking for meat eaters – fish is what I struggle with the most so as a result my girls don’t eat as much of it as they should. I think I could get them to eat anything in sushi so I’m going to see if they’ll eat tuna or salmon sushi and start there. But in the meantime if they are either not eating fish (or not eating enough fish) or for just periods of extreme fussiness this is a great product. It contains Omega 3 fatty acids which are important for brain development and function which makes it even more important for children.

it comes in three flavours – peach mango, citrus and pineapple. The citrus flavour has been tested as the most liked by kids but each of the flavours has the same dosage so kids and adults can pick whichever one is to their taste. The recommended dose is 1 teaspoon which also makes it really easy.

But before I get to the vlog, can I just say how awesome Flying Fish Restaurant is?

Not too shabby.

It’s been far too long since I’ve been to a proper restaurant.

It was pretty breathtaking really.

The squishy always makes me feel comfortable even when I’m out of my element.

They took great care of me with a vegetarian menu. The squishy ate as much of it as I did. If you are ever there order the Heirloom Tomatoes.

I love my phone. If there was a way to surgically attach it I’d give it some serious thought.

Dead set charmer. While I was watching the information on fatty acids and Omega 3′s I was really impressed how focused Nature’s Own was on incorporating fish into children’s diets and even if you are using this supplement to still incorporate fish so it becomes an accepted part of the diet.

I was a bad vegetarian and tasted the citrus flavour and it definitely wasn’t fishy. One time I was going to write a post about how vegetarians going around saying they are vegetarians when they eat chicken and fish are ruining it for me because I can’t order a vegetarian stir fry without being asked if I want chicken in it or if I want seafood in my laksa. Then I realised I was a giant hypocrite and should probably keep my trap shut. Exhibit A, people.

We had a great day.

All photos courtesy of The Mother Media

Now about that vlog  . . .

Filed Under: Food · Tagged: ,
Jan 3, 2012

Baby Jake on CBeebies {A Review}

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This post is sponsored by Kidspot

There was a time when the only TV watched around here was on the CBeebies. This is where Riley’s attachment to the Teletubbies was born. An attachment which I never understood and found vaguely creepy but I ignored because it allowed me to drink my coffee in peace. You’ll find that I’ll do alot of things to have an undisturbed coffee. It is the plight of a mother to never be able to sit down and finish a coffee or tea without having to reheat it in the microwave five million times.

Things that I love about CBeebies is that there aren’t any ads, except for other CBeebies shows. So while you might also end up with a child with an unnatural Teletubby love they are not going to have a throw down, all in, no holds barred tantrum when you refuse to buy them a particular toy they saw advertised on TV. And I’m also keen on the fact that the programs are simple enough for wee little ones. Not so complex that they can’t follow it, they become bored with it or it is too overstimulating.

I put on Baby Jake thinking that Riley would be bored out of her mind and that Piper would be disinterested due to it being a bit too young for Riley and a bit too old for Piper. Turns out? Not so much. It is a great theme for our family at the moment. The family is a big one, but the stories focus on the relationship between the preschooler and the baby and the fantastical baby adventures. Riley got a lot out of watching a sibling relationship similar to her own and Piper enjoyed watching another baby. What baby doesn’t like looking at other babies? She was giggling away to herself for most of the episode. And that was at their most fussy time of the day – 5pm. Also known around here as ‘what do I have to do to have a coffee in peace o-clock?’

Baby Jake premiered on CBeebies on the 5th December and is currently screening at 8:10am weekdays.

Are you CBeebies fans at your place? Do you think that themed TV shows can help children go through periods of adjustment?

 

 

 

Filed Under: Kids Entertainment ·
Dec 20, 2011

The Art of Sharing Featuring Hippos and Body Art

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My eldest child was a pretty amicable sharer, most of the time until her little sister came along and then all bets were off. She would only show interest in something once her sister’s little mits were clenched around it. And then all of a sudden, a desperate need to possess said thing would take hold of her and she would not be able to contain herself until she got it.

It would have been easy to let the bigger (slightly noisier) kidlet to get her way because the littler one was so easy going that she really didn’t seem to mind. But I didn’t. I made sure she knew that anything that her sister happened to be holding wasn’t automatically fair game. And now I’m glad that I did because the little one isn’t so quiet anymore and she’s starting to protest when things are taken away from her. I’d rather not have two protesting children at once if I can possibly help it.

So when I was sent this Giggles Push Along Hippo from Colorific, I had concerns. Because it is just the kind of thing that the big girl would be all over like a rash.

 

But it’s also something that Piper loves. She’s still crawling so she can push it along and all the wheels spin and it doesn’t roll away from her too fast. It’s a great crawling toy. And being a bit retro, I love toys made out of wood instead of plastic. Riley surprised me though, she showed Piper how to play with it. She decorated it with Christmas stickers, and occasionally she also plays with it. But whenever Piper wants to play with it, she hands it over quickly. I like to think that I’m doing something right, because it helps me sleep at night.

Riley wasn’t totally left out though, Colorific also sent her some Crystal Sparkle Body Art

She loves fake tattoos. Or too-toos as she calls them. It’s possible that this presents softened the blow of the whole hippo situation and it had absolutely nothing to do with my parenting skills. I choose not to think about that too hard.

Disclosure: I was sent these items to review. All opinions are my own.

Filed Under: Kid Stuff · Tagged: ,
Dec 19, 2011

Christmas Lights at the Hunter Valley {A Review}

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I love going as a family to the Christmas Lights at the Hunter Valley Gardens. We did it last year for the first time with Riley and watching her unbridled awe and delight at everything is something that I will always remember. For her, Christmas is less about the presents and more about the decorations. So for her, it’s a pretty big deal. It’s open until the 14th January so if you’ve thought about going but haven’t gotten around to it, even if it’s after Christmas I’d definitely say go.

I love the festival food. I know. You’re shocked. Riley’s about decorations and I’m about food. I love all the individual displays. I love watching little faces light up in wonder. I could go on, but I’m just going to let the pictures do the talking.

Some places are just magic. The Hunter Valley Gardens is definitely one of them.

Riley asked me to take a picture of the star. It was almost hard to do, the tree was that big.

I think this was my favourite. For all the years I spent lost in some fairy tale or other.

How can you not be in the spirit after looking at something like this? I wanted to take it home.

I am helpless against fairy lights.

These trees were lighting up to metal music. The husband was in heaven. HEAVEN.

I think it’s easy to find Christmas lights displays gaudy, or over the top. But that’s the great thing about HVG is that they are over the top but they are also incredibly intricate.

I love it when it gets properly dark and all you can see is the lights.

But this is what it was all about. Pure joy. So palpable, you can almost touch it.

Disclosure: I was provided with a family ticket in exchange for this review. All opinions are my own.

Filed Under: Kids Entertainment · Tagged: ,
Dec 10, 2011

The Dragon and the Lizard {A Review}

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My friend Kristyn has written a book. How many of us aspire to write a book and then don’t or put it off or just think it’s too hard? So I think it’s pretty inspirational that she’s gone ahead and done it. And it’s on Amazon. Excuse me while I geek out over the fact that book publishing has evolved to the point where something is so readily available to everyone. You can read how Kristyn did it over on Kleenex Mums and see just how she self-published her story. Or the story that was told to her by her mother when she was a child. Once you see some of the self publishing resources available you can see just how much the only person standing in the way of you publishing your book is you.

The book tells the story of the people, the dragon who terrorises them and the boy who succeeds were strong men have failed. And of course some of this goes over the head of my near four year old. But she still requests it often. ‘Because I just want a story that’s all about dragons!’ and she likes to tell me her version of the story based on the pictures as well. In her version of the story the lizard gets eaten because the people are ‘a little bit of hungry’.

When I look at books for children I am often reminded of what Albert Enstein said when parents would ask him what to do to make their children smarter (if you can ignore that it’s a slightly ridiculous question in the first place) and he said read them fairy tales. And when asked what they should do after that, he replied that they should read more fairy tales. So it doesn’t matter if some of it goes over my daughter’s head. She’s still learning about morals, investing all of yourself in something even when failure looks certain and rising above arbitrary limitations.

Fairy tales are worth far more than people give them credit for.

Filed Under: Books · Tagged:
Nov 17, 2011

I am a Christmas Addict {A Review}

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I am all about Christmas.

I have no shame in making the children pose in various Christmas outfits for photos. So there is actual evidence of my addiction for many years to come.

Look at that. Priceless Christmas fodder. And all I had to do was force my toddler to wear an incredibly hot outfit on a really hot day. Worth it.

You see? It’s not just one year, it’s every year. I maximise this now when my children are too young to protest or know any better. I’m awesome like that.

This is where Minted come in. Not only are they able to immortalise my snaps into christmas cards, but they do holiday cards as well, so I can inflict my Christmas addiction on Christmas-lovers and non-Christmas lovers alike.

What I love about it is that there are so many designs but you don’t get paralysed by choice (or at least not much) because you can drill down by style. And pretty much every aspect of the card is customisable.

I am really loving the Vintage category. Go and check it out. Your inner Christmas addict will not be disappointed. The only downside is that you might feel that your own photos are a little bit crap when compared to the model photos they have in there. But really, that’s a small price to pay. Also: the model photos may lead you to believe that the cards are festive enough without the need to dress up your children/family in a Christmas theme. While technically accurate, I strongly encourage you to go the distance, just so I don’t feel lonely.

Now if you excuse me I have to find some ridiculously embarrassing outfits to inflict on my children for their Christmas photo.

The best news? You can spread your Christmas addiction and receive a 15% discount on your photo cards by quoting the code: READERS9.  This code is valid until the 28th of November.

Disclosure: I was given a voucher for $100 and postage to get my Christmas geek on over at Minted in exchange for this post. All rambling opinions are my own.

Filed Under: Photo Gifts and Stationery · Tagged: , ,
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