March in March...

I don't like to push my politics on here, but the protest about loss of faith in our current government (Australia), was such a massive experience and it felt so important... Yet it wasn't reported in mainstream news because if their ties with our current government, I just thought I should say something...

Somewhere between 30,000 and 50,000 like minded individuals got together in Melbourne to march to the steps of parliament and on to the treasury gardens... In that massive crowd, not once did I feel unsafe, no one seemed angry... It was an incredible peaceful and positive protest, even when people would bump into you, they were apologetic, it was so amazing to be in that! I was weary of taking my kids, so I didn't, but there were so many families there, and it was absolutely fine for children... The chants weren't profane, some of the signs were, but small children can't read... 

There were people from all walks of life... My friends and family, a kinder mum I know, a bunch of people I used to rave with, attend hip hop gigs with, see at the football, so many people I knew in that crowd...  A man in his 70's stopped my girl Kelly to ask what 'WTF?' meant, so we had a bit of a chat, and it was like that, sharing moments with strangers... Strangers that want a better future for our country...

That's all...

Veronica Mars movie is out!

I woke up this morning to my digital download sitting in my inbox... I have been waiting for this for months! 

I loved the show, was completely disillusioned when it was cancelled so abruptly, and rejoiced when the Kickstarter happened to fund the film! The minute that they let foreign people back it, I backed it... It was actually a bargain considering the tshirt, stickers, download and blu ray that will all be mine! And the emails with updates as it all progressed... 

Looking forward to my little viewing party tomorrow night!

High heeled converse..

Oh what did you do Converse? The Spring Collection includes these... Whether you are rocking heeled sneakers or not, I am just not sure about this...

Play School live in concert...

Play School Live in Concert - Prince of Bears 2014

We booked this for Mace's birthday weekend, and thank goodness we did, his actually birthday we were all sick, I barely got out of bed for his cake! Was overjoyed that we were all well enough to go... I have taken the kids to loads of these types of shows, some have been amazing, others less so...

Play school Prince of Bears was really inexpensive $77 for the 4 of us, for 45 minutes, cheapest we have ever been to... The most expensive was Yo Gabba Gabba at $200 for 4... 

It was hosted by Alex and Rachel, neither favourites, Alex particularly annoys me! But I have to say, live, he is really charming and entertaining... It was basically all of the best nursery rhymes and dances performed within the context of the story, and Mace (3) had a blast! Marley (5) was entertained, but it was about Mace and it really ticked his boxes!

It felt fast, because it was so much fun... Would definitely recommend it if it's touring locally...

Apple Slinky!

In our home, strawberries rule Marley's fruit snack experience... Unfortunately they are just about out of season and at the rate she eats them we are spending over $20 a week on them! Then I saw an apple slinky, I don't pack apples in her lunch because I know how fast they go brown, but with the slinky you can use the peel or non peel function... So apples stay good until fruit snack time, and they are also very cute... Definitely a success, and only $16 on eBay!

Puku S8 Portable Charger, for phones and tablets!!

I have been through a couple different portable charge devices, and although they work, they weren't convenient...  These look amazing!  You get the equivalent of 900 hours of standby time, 36 hours of talk time and 153 hours of media play time, this is PERFECT for holidays, flights, day trips etc, especially as it charges tablets too!  Seriously considering getting this for our trip to Hawaii, ain't nobodies iPads will be dying with these around!

It's $99 on http://www.gotpuku.com/

8 Guaranteed Ways to F Up Your Kids Emotionally...

There is some good stuff in this... I must admit that I have been struggling with the transition with Marley at school... It is so awesome watching her go out and do her own thing, organise her mornings before school with her friends and really, not need me... I am learning how to take a step back, and let her use all of the life skills I have taught her, and grow into a beautiful independent human... In an effort to not mess her up!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sherrie-campbell-phd/8-guaranteed-ways-to-emotionally-fck-up-your-kids_b_4619389.html

Nirvana Lullaby cd...

I was given this as a gift when Marley was born and I acquired quite a few of the other Rockabye Baby Lullaby Renditions of favourite artists... I used it as quiet time music... I know there are some really mixed opinions on these albums, but for me, it was a way of keeping my own identity through music and imparting the feeling of what I like on my babies... 

We are now almost 3 years on in Mace's life and what I love about him having and using his own boombox is the musical choices he makes... When he is tired, he will put on the Nirvana cd and have a little rest on his bed, humming along, sometimes he even falls asleep... Last night he was wired after having a big sleep at crèche and he put the cd on and rested to it until he fell asleep... I wonder whether it brings him comfort as it has been background in his life for his whole life, or whether he is just doing the research before I blow his mind playing him Nevermind at an appropriate age...

Baking vegan banana bread...

Y'all should know by now that I really enjoy baking... What you probably don't know is that I feel really guilty about baking, because my husband has a dairy intolerance and I like baking with dairy... It is a constant struggle in my mind, and then I ordered the Allergy Mama's Baking Book, and thought I would give some vegan baking a go... It went surprisingly well! I have copied the recipe with the changes I made, though I'm sure that the original would be even more delicious!!!

Banana Bread

The food allergy mamas baking book

1/2 cup glad dairy free margarine

1 1/3 raw sugar

2 large mashed ripe bananas 

3tblsp water

2 3/4 cups flour I blended white and whole wheat

2 1/2 Tsp baking powder

1tblsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup of dairy free buttermilk (1c soy milk with 1tblso white vinegar let sit for 10 mins)

Oven 175c

Beat sugar banana margarine

Mix dry ingredients

Combine all ingredients and buttermilk

Pour into 2 baking/bread pans and cook for 50-60 min until a skewer comes out clean

I stupidly put it all in one pan and so it took an hour and a half to cook!!!

It's a funny texture, but is indeed delicious... And the house smells so gooooood!

Child porn on social media...

I have something I need to get off my chest... I recently had an experience with online (social media) child pornography... Stop reading now if this is a trigger for you...

I brought it on myself really, someone said something about a child porn account on twitter, and I stupidly clicked on it... I have always tried to not think about what an account like that contained... I assumed it was all kidnapped children being forced to do things that I'm not even comfortable thinking about... So I go to this account...
It's pictures of kids jacked from the internet! It's kids in baths (boys only on this site), young and teenage boys in their underwear, bathers/shorts, in their dress ups, in shorts with no tops on... And in this context it was seriously disturbing that people's photos that they have shared on social media with people they trust, Facebook/Instagram I assume, have been taken and put into this context... It was awful, I reported the account to twitter as having child porn, and clicked off, stressed and sick feeling, much like now, reliving the experience...

The reason I am writing this, and want you to share with your friends is that I know people that put pictures of moments with their loved ones, bath pics, pool pics, at home in hot weather and minimal clothes pics, and unless you know for 100% that every single person that you let see those pics aren't secretly into kids, it's probably best to stop posting them, unless sites like these don't bother you?

Ergh, sorry about that, but I never had a clue that these pictures could be taken so extremely out of context by repulsive individuals...

Crazy school days...

The past couple of weeks have been crazy with Marley starting grade prep... It has been an overwhelming experience emotionally as well as adopting new routines after a time of virtual free fall (holidays)... So far it has been great, and she is loving the experience... I have warmed to some of the other mums and Marley's very sweet teacher... Doing the readers has been awesome! Her reading skills make me so proud... I remember being in a special reading class with the grade 6's when I was in grade one, so seeing that in her has been lovely...

I haven't been here loads but am on my Facebook page www.facebook.com/coolinwithkids 

Every day if you want to check it out!

Friday Baking... Apple cinnamon bread...

Baking has been way off lately... Too busy through the holidays and then the heatwave, which is when I intended on baking this apple bread... It's delicious! 

Recipe from 

http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/apple-cinnamon-bread/

Who have loads of amazing recipes on their blog... I made some changes, using pear as well, because I only had one apple! It's almost worth it for the smell of cinnamon through the whole house!

Apple Cinnamon Bread

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon all spice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 large eggs
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup granulated sugar
2 cups chopped apples, skin removed (we used Granny Smith)

Topping:
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8 by 4 loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, all spice, and cloves. Set aside.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the eggs and beat on medium speed for about 30 seconds. Add in oil, applesauce, and vanilla and mix until smooth. Next, add the sugar and mix until well combined.

4. Slowly add in the flour mixture and mix until flour is barely combined. Gently fold in the apple chunks. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.

5. In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, sugar, and cinnamon. Sprinkle over the batter in the loaf pan. Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until loaf is golden and a toothpick comes out clean.

6. Cool bread in pan for 10 minutes. Loosen sides and remove from pan. Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

Brickvention (Lego Convention) Melbourne 2014

Brickvention 2014 

Event Venue: Royal Exhibition Building

Last year I heard about Brickvention and it was already sold out! When I saw tickets on sale, I snapped them up immediately, and they were really affordable as far as family outings go, $12 per adult and $6 per child... We arrived for our slot 15 minutes early and the queue was already quite long, in the next 15 minutes it quadruped!  

Once in there are tables among tables of Lego sets assembled, really well thought out and detailed dioramas, collections of mini figs and modified sets... It's madness, and so interesting to see what the exhibitors have done... It's also nice to have a chat with exhibitors, and learn about their experiences with Lego... There was loads of Star Wars stuff, which I could appreciate even though I'm not a fan... A few awesome superheroes sets, and cities, underwater, trains, it was a lot! And then of course there was the stalls, so much Lego to buy! We bought a few mini figs, as they weren't in their packs so I could get what I wanted out of the new series... 2 of those mini figs was the first Lego that I have ever owned, I don't see myself as becoming addicted like the rest of my family, but they were particularly cute characters!

www.brickadventures.org.au

Www.Facebook.Com/coolinwithkids 

Lollipops Forest Hill

Lollipops at Forest Hill Chase

Over the years we have been to many play centres, ranging from mediocre to really bad... In September Lollipops at Forest Hill opened, and I can't look back! This place is amazing!!! Levels and levels of crazy fun... Canons, massive slide, big webbed tunnel to climb right up the centre of, and your usually, jumping castle, ball pit, oh and let's not forget, the mini pirate ship! Yes an actual ride! 

When we usually go to play centres, we stay a couple hours, we can easily put 4 hours in here! It's just amazing... I would say better suited to preschoolers then mid 2's and under, there is a toddler area, but it wouldn't be worth the cost... It IS expensive, around 30% more then our usual centre, but Mark said 'it's more then 50% more fun!' And he is right, it is... Fun for the kids, fun for you too, if you want to get involved, I went down the slide, and it is FUN! 

It looks like we will be having the kids birthdays there this year, they are obsessed!

Choc chip cookies ('normal' and lactose free)

Wanting to do a little baking yesterday, something that could easily be adapted for Mark's lactose allergy... Chocolate chip cookies seemed like a good idea, and they were, it's just a struggle trying to make lactose free cookies taste as good as lactose cookies... They are called 'amazing', I wouldn't say that they are amazing, they were almost all gone in 48 hours, but amazing would call for more... I switched non dairy butter for the butter and vegan chocolate for the chocolate chips for Mark's cookies... 

http://allrecipes.com.au/m/recipe/8897/amazing-soft-and-chewy-chocolate-chip-cookies.aspx

Ingredients

• 125g butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 caster sugar (or white sugar)
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 1 cup self-raising flour
• 3/4 cup plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup milk chocolate chips

Preparation method

Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: 12 minutes

1.

Preheat the oven to 160°C.

2.

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat (or in the microwave) and set aside to cool slightly.

3.

Pour butter into a large bowl and stir in brown sugar and caster sugar until smooth and sugar is mostly dissolved.

4.

Lightly beat the egg with a whisk or fork and stir into the sugar mixture along with the vanilla.

5.

Sift flours and baking powder together into a small bowl and then gradually mix into sugar mixture until combined.

6.

Stir through chocolate chips.

7.

Drop rounded tablespoons of the cookie mixture onto lined baking trays.

8.

Bake for 12 minutes or until golden then remove from oven and allow to cool on trays for 3 minutes before transfering to a wire rack to cool completely.

Frozen... Film...

Girls day out! We used our Mace free day to go to the cinema and see Frozen... I can't speak highly enough of it! Great characters, great story, beautiful visuals, catchy songs... I don't really want to say too much because I don't want to spoil anything, but I love the love in this film... Marley (4) loved it too, on the way home she asked if we could watch it again at home... I said we had to wait for it to be released, then she asked if we could listen to the songs, to which I agreed, so we have spent the last hour and a half listening to the songs and remembering who sung it and why... Must see!

Www.facebook.com/coolinwithkids

The Sound of Music Live...

I have always wanted to share the film The Sound of music with Marley, it meant so much to me as a youngster...  She is still not quite old enough for the film, but in rest time I put on the Sound of Music Live, and she was absolutely taken with it! We watched in one session, it is awfully long! I could not believe that she didn't switch her attention to something else in that time, she did want to fast forward the 'adults talking', which suited me as after hearing 'Nazi' she wanted to know about them, I went in gently, but was happy to eliminate that aspect from the movie...

Stephen Moyer as the captain, eeeeek!!! He just doesn't have what the original captain had! At all, he just looks angry the whole time... The thick American accents are awful, no one sounded refined like the actual film, Carrie Underwood is THE worst!!! She lacks acting ability and spunk which Maria is supposed to have, almost asking it unwatchable... Most characters lack natural facial expressions, it might be a theatre thing...

'I am sixteen' missed all the acting, and flirtation of the film.. It just felt like they wanted to remember the notes...

The storm/favourite things sequence being replaced with the goat herd song was wrong on every level, but Marley loved it!!! And thankfully they did include Edelweiss at the very end... 

Overall I wouldn't have enjoyed it, had my kids not been well in to it... I was so happy that they loved it, playing the sound of music imaginary play game afterwards, trying to act out the parts... When Mark got home, Marley ran up to him to tell him how her mum died  but then she got a new mum, he looked awfully confused until I explained that she was being Gretel... And little Mace was being Captain Von Trapp... I can't wait to take them to Salzburg one day, such a wonderful place...

Blackfish

Blackfish

I knew going into this that it would be bad... And it was... I felt sick from the get go... Aside from learning more about beautiful Orca Whales, I learnt mostly about how awful humans are... Watching the way the whales are captured, and kept, in tiny pools was akin to putting a human in a cage, like prison, these whales are prisoners... Their babies are taken away, and the despair the mother expresses when this happens is parallel to human grief... 

The lies these parks tell are awful, about the age whales live to be, about their floppy dorsal fins, saying that the whales live in their family groups, when in the wild babies stay with their mums/families their whole lives! As a mum and someone who loves animals it just broke my heart...  It's unbelievable that the staff aren't given access to the amount of and type of accidents for trainers working with the whales, further perpetuating the lies... Surely it would cross your mind that these are HUGE, wild animals that have no way to let off steam for many, many years... It seems obvious to me that they may lash out from time to time...

I remember being pregnant with Marley (08), there was a baby whale orphaned in the Sydney harbour area... Poor little love was suckling yachts, trying desperately to find it's mama... I cried for days over that, broke my heart, and eventually they put the baby whale to sleep... After watching this, I am glad they put it to sleep and didn't try to capture and train it... It's all just awful... I have had flashbacks over the 20 hours since I watched it, I still don't feel composed about it... Too heartbreaking...

Routines vs School Holidays

Routines vs School Holiday's

I am a routine type of woman... I love to be organised and for the kids to know what's happening next, so a routine is the way forward for us as a family... School holidays started over two weeks ago, and Mark's and my holidays started exactly two weeks ago... We have wanted to make the most of this time together as a family, I am all too aware that Marley is starting school at the end of the month, and I'm getting nervous about it... Because of this, we have made lots of plans, done a lot of activities, been to the zoo, scooters at the park, play centres, play dates, the list goes on... The kids have been tired, and when they are tired, they seem to sleep less, I have never been woken up so many mornings before 7am since they were under 6 months! And because of it, we were all exhausted... From the weekend they have finally gone back to sleeping from 7-7.30, and what a difference it has made!

To combat the exhaustion, I schedule in 'chill times' on top of 12.30-2 rest/nap times... During which we might watch a movie, read books, just have downtime... I am doing this every day, yet the kids are still tired, which makes parenting a little more tricky then it is while we are all in the thick of our routine... I miss it... I miss us all getting up and ready for kinder, the drop off, the hanging out with mace, I'm sure time spent apart helps the kids relationships! The pick up, cuddles on the couch, dinner, bed, no incidents, just a smooth operation... And while kinder is not on the cards now until Mace goes, yesterday I really enjoyed our return to work (having Daddy home is seriously exciting for them), to our routine being semi back on track, so that the rest of the school holidays is a bit more relaxed, and we can make the most of spending time with Marley before she goes off to school! 

Happy new year! And the Myer Melbourne Christmas windows...

Happy new year my people!! Hope everyone has has a great holiday period... I go back to work Monday and am quite looking forward to getting back to my routine, and using my brain for non parenting related duties! 

Things were hectic with work last month and I didn't get a chance to tell you all to take advantage of the myer Christmas experience... They had a magical Christmas area with Santa (photos) and a Christmas train (free) as well as the myer Christmas windows which were lovely this year (also free), I'm pretty sure that  they are open through January... We had an awesome morning there... The trick is to go see the windows before myer opens and then leg it to the Christmas area as doors open... This years doors opened half hour before the Christmas area opened, so we left mark in line and took our time with the windows... Santa was lovely, the kids loved the train ride, overall a lovely morning out!