NJT Blogger

Friday, 22 August 2014

Book reading for us in normally a night time event now with having a story read to Niah whilst she is laying in her cot, having her bottle and laying back relaxing ready to drift off to sleep.
During the day time Niah has a collection of books that we place in a basket for her to flip through - ones that are hard cardboard like or soft and squishy - ready for those teeth to sink into and cover the day time books in slobber!

This August we have a selection of beautiful story books that we were able to share as a family.
Dan & I always read to Niah at night, alternating between each other reading a page.

Pig The Pug RRP $16.99

A book about a pug named Pig who doesn't like sharing at all but in the end has no choice.
Pig The Pug has little words through out the book and is a simple quick reading book for a night time, this would be a good one for those who are starting out to read also.

Tortoise and the Hair RRP $14.99

A story shared about a preforming tortoise who needs a special lucky wig to play but one day the wig goes missing. A kids mystery story that will keep the kids guessing.
The illustrated pictures in this book are really well done and display a good range of images for the children to create a follow on of the story in their head.
Tortoise and the Hair has quite a few words so this would suit an older advanced child for reading or a mummy/daddy story telling time.

The Three Triceratops Tuff RRP $14.99

A re-told story of 'The Three Billy Goats Gruff' but with dinosaurs!

The three brother dinosaurs head out to find some dinner but are faced with the problem of a T-Rex who wants to make them dinner!

The Three Triceratops Tuff has a few pages in this book that would require the assistance of an adult to read with.

My Octopus Arms RRP $14.99

Having eight arms would come in handy majority of the time for us wouldn't it, experience what an octopus does with all his arms. But there is something that arms are really made for... hugging!

A well pictured book that will demonstration what octopus gets up too.

10 Clumsy Emus RRP $9.99

Count up to 10 with the clumsy emus who do nothing but some very unordinary things whilst you count with them. Another really well illustrated book that is a must in the house to encourage your children to learn how to count in a fun way.

Hokey Pokey (Aussie Edition) RRP $16.99

A classic song we all loved to dance and sing along to as kids which we can now pop on a cd and sing along with the picture book filled of our favourite Aussie animals.

Niah loves music so this one really gets her involved in story time, have a little boogie and clap along.

Looking forward to sharing the next months book selections with you shortly.

http://www.scholastic.com.au/

Thursday, 21 August 2014

For the last few weeks I have been putting Everloc which are a brand who are sold in over 70 countries in the world, to the test.
Everloc in a nut shell are home products that require NO tools, NO drilling and NO screw-driving when installing and best yet leave NO damage on surfaces - good for those who are in rentals, DIY lovers and anyone whose up keeping a contemporary on-trend look to their home by updating regularly.

A few weeks back I was sent out the large bathroom shelf to review.
Only as of recently I have been getting into the home decor thing which you might have seen through my social media channels. We are about to move and I want to move into our new home with a well decked out decor so I have been testing out bits and pieces in our last few days within our home now to see what I will carry on into our new home.
Let's just say right now Everloc will be coming along and be in the boxes when we pack.

For us we never had a shower shelf or a shower caddy nor ever brought one, it was always the stack of hair, face and body products on the shower floor and it was quite the mess.
Everloc has brought some organisation into our house and made our shower more stylish and neatly presentable. The bathroom shelf has a luxurious chrome finish and can hold up to 15kgs - perfect for those who have many products to cater to shower users just like this family.

DIY things always scare me to start off with because usually it's never as easy as they make it out to be but Everloc really are easily used products that a kid could probably figure out how to do on their own as well.

The Everloc bathroom shelf has suction cups on the back of the circle wall discs which you place into position and then screw/twist to set into place. Once you have set the wall discs into place then you hang the shelf itself off the hooks on the wall discs and wah la it's up.
This in total took me about a minute to get together and up.
Everloc is so simple and easy to use.

I haven't seen the bathroom shelf move at all nor felt any loose tension on the shelf. I am really happy with the product and highly recommend looking into the brand if you haven't already yourself.
I am very keen to look more into the brand and share my findings with you.

Don't let the name of the shelf 'Large Bathroom Shelf' fool you - this shelf can be used anywhere!

Everloc not only look after bathroom solutions but they have products for kitchen and laundry also.
Next on my list is to organiser my hair styling tools outside of the shower. Can't wait to add my collection of Everloc products.

www.everloc.com.au

Wednesday, 20 August 2014

What do Dads really want for Father’s Day?

Simon Vogrinec, Aussie dad of three boys and General Manager of GAIA Skin Naturals answers:

“Forget the socks and jocks and ‘soap-on a-rope’, said Simon - the number one thing I think most dads (like me) want is:

1) More Energy, and as a close second: 2) More Time for Sport

and both those things don’t have to be expensive.”

“Running GAIA day-to day and keeping up with my three energetic boys is a challenge,” says Simon, a former hairdresser/salon owner and beauty industry professional. “Making positive changes in your daily family routine, like choosing natural and organic food, drinking lots of water or herbal teas and making time for exercise or relaxation helps, but sometimes I need a little extra assistance in the morning to wake up and get moving or something to refresh me for a busy evening ahead - especially if I’ve been traveling or had international conference calls throughout the night.”

These is where his GAIA Made For Men Overnight Pack (RRP$17.95) comes in - and Simon recommends it to others.

“Now I can fit in a quick gym session before work, have an invigorating shower and shave and head on into the office looking forward to getting stuck into the day! Everything you need is in the one compact wet pack and is all refillable” said Simon. “I can even throw it in with my soccer kit on the weekend and know I’m all sorted. Even business trips are a breeze knowing this pack complies with the ‘carry-on’ luggage restrictions” says Simon.

“Each product contains a special blend of organic citrus oils and extracts like rosemary and witch hazel to keep you feeling fresh and revitalised,” said Simon.

“They also contain organic spearmint which has a refreshing menthol-like effect – but without making your eyes water.” he said.

“My wife Michelle first created GAIA Natural Baby just over 12 years ago out of the need we had to find suitable skincare for our first son Josh who developed eczema at 8 weeks” said Simon, “I was stoked when she then created the Made For Men hair, shave and skincare range with my needs in mind – and me as the ‘test bunny’. It tackles typical male issues like ingrown hairs and shaving rash naturally – without a girly lavender smell. The inclusion of known aphrodisiacs like organic cedarwood, sandalwood and patchouli offers an earthy scent which seems to have an uplifting effect on my mood – and on her too! Guys – you’ve gotta try this!“ he says.

The GAIA Made For Men Overnight Pack (RRP$17.95) is available in selected health food stores nationally.

OR go online at www.gaiaskinnaturals.com with FREE GIFT wrapping for the months of August and September 2014 exclusive to the GAIA online store.

Sunday, 17 August 2014

Are you looking for something new to do these school holidays with the kids or just wanting something to cross of bucket list or experience? I've got it for you!

I have always had a sled dog ride on my bucket list as I am just in-love with the Siberian Husky breed of dogs - hence why I have huskies of my own.

My love for the siberian husky breed began nearly 10 years ago and shortly after I got a male husky and then a year after we got him a girlfriend: Nikane & Tiarah.

Nikane - male

Tiarah - female

They're beautiful dogs and are one of the more good looking breeds I say. They're hard work with their needs but the bestest friend you can have within a dog.

I was really excited to hear that Mt Buller have just added Sled Dog rides under their belt starting as of this year!!

Mt Buller has diversified its product offering this year through the introduction of dog sled rides, delivered by internationally renowned Australian Sleddog Tours. The tours will be available throughout August and September, using a team of 21 strong purebred Siberian Huskies to take guests on trails around the resort, enabling them to enjoy breathtaking alpine scenery and take in some unique views of the Mt Buller Village. Director of Marketing, Sales & Business Development for Mt Buller Mt Stirling Resort Management, Amber Gardner is looking forward to having another exciting product to offer guests. “Here at Mt Buller we’re always striving to give our visitors the best experience possible both on and off the slopes, and this snow season offers more than ever with the addition of sled dog tours. It’s a really special activity that allows guests to truly immerse themselves in the alpine environment, and see parts of the resort that they wouldn’t normally be able to access.”

Australian Sled Dog Tours will cater for couples, adults and children, with tours running for 45 minutes. Tours include a meet and greet with the Huskies, a photo session and sled dog tour. Each sled allows for two to five people per tour. All tours also include information sessions on the tradition of sled dog racing and its history in Australia. Making the experience even more memorable, Australian Sled Dog Tours produce merchandise for guests to purchase including photos of Huskies, calendars, miniature model sled dog teams, along with Husky toy puppies and postcards.

Tour prices

$155 per adult and $80 per child (3 – 13 yrs).

$400 for a family of four (2 adults and 2 children).

For further details or to make a booking visit the website www.sleddogtours.com.au or call lead musher Brett Hadden on 0418 230 982.

Mt Buller is enjoying heavy snowfalls as a series of cold fronts cross Victoria, with skiing and snowboarding commencing today at the resort. Great holiday packages are available throughout the winter, offering value for money and the convenience of staying right in the Village. Further information on events and entertainment at Mt Buller as well as accommodation options can be found by visiting www.mtbuller.com.au

Saturday, 16 August 2014

Chicken soup has long been recognised as the soup of choice during the colder months. This classic soup is the perfect companion to warm us up on a cold day or a meal of choice traditionally served by our mums when we’re struggling through a cold.

Pitango, famous for creating delicious, organic and fresh chilled soups and meals, have released their own spin on this loved classic: Pitango Free Range Chicken and Vegetable Soup.

‘This is a classic, a well-loved soup”, comments Lisa White, Brand Manager at Pitango, “and it was incredibly important to us to make sure we were loyal to the recipe by using real, fresh ingredients and the best free range chicken. Our aim was to create a product that had an honest homemade taste and flavour, something that Pitango is recognised for. And we believe we have achieved this!”

Winter hasn't really been a thing of having soups for me only because I have always hated that if I was to purchase a soup from the shop it was always too salty and I couldn't bare to begin thinking as to how bad it would actually be for you.

Pitango has changed my mind and sold me on their soups! Pitango are ready to go soups that are located in the refrigerated section in Woolworths, you know that buying soups which are cold and from the fridge section are not full of those extra nasty and unnecessary additives like the shelf stocked soups to make them last longer.

Pitango is a New Zealand soup and ready-meal maker who are now stocked in Aussie shelves. They're made fresh with organic vegetables, is 99% fat free, gluten free, free range chickens and has no added preservatives. - no false claims there, I read the label!

Pitango's cooking process includes hand cutting the vegetables, using only the freshest meat, cooking in small batches and packaging and delivering the end product chilled to maintain the freshness.

Pitango soups are purchased in a 600g pouch with has panelling that allows you to see the soup through the packaging - something I really like to see when purchasing these sorts of things, it gives you a sense of knowing what to expect and seeing what you're actually buying.

Pitango soups last up to 6 weeks (stored in the refrigerator unopened) and will last a few days once opened. Pitango can be heated up either via the stovetop or microwave. We went with using a saucepan on the stovetop as I think there's a big difference taste wise between the two ways and the stovetop just tastes more fresh.

BEFORE

AFTER

I was told to purchase ingredients that I thought would go well with the soup but to be honest once I picked up the Pitango Chicken & Vegetable Soup and read the back label (which I do with all foods now) I was happy with everything that was in the soup and couldn't think of anything more then just some celery, fresh thyme and crusty bread to compliment it.

I sliced up a stick of celery and popped it in at the start with the soup. Pitango Chicken & Vegetable soup took about 7 minutes to boil and cook up on my oven, it is advised that you just slowly bring to the boil and stir frequently.

The smell straight away when heating up from the Pitango, was a flavoursome smell that had the belly rumbling!

When it came to serving I placed the chopped breadstick on the side and added some fresh thyme on top of the soup.

First few sips was me trying to pick up on every bit of vegetable that was added in and what I could spot from the ingredients; pepper, chicken stock and vegetables. Hit the nail - no overly salty taste, which is what I expected and thankfully didn't get otherwise it would have been straight to the bin.

At first I wasn't too much of a fan of the finely shredded chicken like strings that was in it as I'm used to having bits of chunky chicken pieces throughout the soup but as I went on through my dinner I actually enjoyed the shredded chicken strings and appreciated that they went to the effort of doing that as it just made the soup, a soup - no chewing necessary.

Pitango will give you the look of a homemade from scratch cooked meal that you can claim! They'll never know!

The leftovers from dinner we allowed to sit in the pot and do the watery oil test and I was really surprised coming back a few hours later to see that it hadn't really changed consistency it was still a delicate thin runny soup that looked good.

Pitango have a gorgeous range available that consists of many more types of ready made soups that I am definitely going to need to give a go!