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!